August in Italy

Summer is beginning to wind down but Italian travelers still have a lot to look forward to during the month of August.

Rome hosts the Estate Romana, which is a well-known festival of music and performing arts, including a variety of musical acts and theatrical events.

Cortona is home to the annual Tuscan Sun Festival, which begins the first weekend in August. The festival features concerts, art exhibits, wellness, cooking and wine tastings. Visitors may have the opportunity to experience a Tai Chi class, listen to classical music, take a cooking class or attend a classical music concert - all in one day!

Ci vediamo presto.

Ferragosto and Parliamo Italiano this weekend!

Ferragosto is an Italian holiday celebrated on August 15. Originally, it may have related to a celebration of the middle of the summer and the end of the hard labor in the fields. The Catholic Church celebrates this date as a Holy Day of Obligation to commemorate the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary—the real physical elevation of her sinless soul and incorrupt body, into Heaven.

Before the Roman Catholic Church came into existence, however, this holiday was celebrated in the Roman Empire to honor the gods—in particular Diana—and the cycle of fertility and ripening. In fact, the present Italian name of the holiday derives from its original Latin name, Feriae Augusti.

Almost the entire month of August was taken as a holiday and leisure time in Italy in honor of this feast day. In present days, Ferragosto is mainly a short holiday when Italians take brief vacations. The holiday often coincides with peak activity of the Perseid meteor shower, leaving Italians at a particular advantage to view the astral event seen best at pre-dawn hours.

On ferragosto, many Italians get the day off. People celebrate on the streets in many cities of Italy!

The August 13 Parliamo Italiano, which will be held at Maria's house, will honor the Italian holiday, Ferragosto (August 15th).

Maria will prepare a traditional "pasta al forno" and we will all be seated outside on an "Italian Style" long table in Maria's yard to enjoy the evening with friends, delicious food and wine. Kids are welcome!!!

This is a potluck event so please bring a side dish to share or beverage.

When: August 13
Time: 7:00PM
Where: For address and directions, please call 303-733-4335 or email us at info@italianinsititute.com
Cost: Free, bring a Potluck dish or beverage

R.S.V.P. required by August 11th

Summer Fun in Italy!

Summer is in full swing and Italy celebrates summer by hosting a number of special festivals and activities.

As I mentioned previously, Sienna's famous horse race, Il Palio, is held during July and August. Before the race, there is a colorful procession complete with people in medieval costume. For more information click here.

The Disfida degli Arceri di Terre e di Corte is held in Fivizzano, which is located in northern Tuscany. Local archers compete in this medieval festival reenactment, complete with costumes and flag throwers. Click here for more about this event.

As always, thanks for reading!

Parliamo Italiano and Upcoming Dates!

Our next Parliamo Italian potluck dinner is around the corner! Tomorrow!

"Parliamo Italiano" is an extra fun and free opportunity for students who are interested in meeting other members of the Italian Institute and the local Italian community. This is an opportunity that is different from the typical classroom setting, where students can speak Italian with one another in a very relaxed fun environment, and share our passion for the Italian culture and language. We will talk about food, wine, culture and all other interests our faculty and students would like to share. Students should have a good foundation in the basic structure of the Italian language. Every second and fourth Saturday of the month, we will meet at a designated member’s home. This event is a potluck where we invite each of you to bring a beverage or dish to share.

This Saturday the Parliamo Italiano will be hosted by one of the Italian Institute students. Thanks Clay!!!

When: July 23, August 13 and August 27

Time: 7:00PM

Where: For location, please call 303-733-4335 or email us at info@italianinsititute.com

Cost: Free, but please bring a Potluck dish or beverage

Special Pricing for Online Italian Classes in July!!

Eight week introductory Italian classes are now available online and with special pricing only available in July!

This class, which covers the fundamental structure of the Italian language, will introduce students to pronunciation, common greetings, vocabulary and basic sentence structure. Learn also the present tense of regular and some irregular verbs. Students attend class in real time so they have the opportunity to interact and converse with their instructor and other class members. For more information and to register, click here!

July In Italy

While there aren’t any nationwide holidays on the Italian calendar in July, there’s a very famous local festival that occurs each July 2nd – it’s the first running of the Palio in Siena, the city’s medieval horse race! Watch a video here!

Looking to Expand Your Knowledge of the Italian Language?

Join us for our Pronoun Workshop! Eleonora Zilio-Grandi, M.A in Foreing Languages, will guide you during this training to explore the world of direct and indirect object pronouns.

Students will learn to recognize and properly use the direct and indirect object pronouns in present and past tenses, their placement and common verbs associated with them. Practice will be a major component of this workshop .

A lunch break will be provided between 12:00 and 12:45 PM. You may bring your lunch or dine at one of the several restaurants within walking distance.

For more information, please contact us at (303) 733-4335 or info@italianinstitute.com

When: Saturday, June 25
Time: 9:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Cost: $109