Special events

KOUDONOFORI

Piazza S. Anastasia
Friday at 6 pm, Saturday and Sunday – streets of the festival

During the festival it is possible to attend an ancient Greek tradition which will be shown in different places of the town - the Koudounofori. The name means bell-wearers, and they are characteristically dressed men, gathered together in groups of five or more and singing accompanied by particular mimicries. They are keeping alive an ancient form of expression which includes costumes, dance, singing and movements. They generally come together during the carnival, around the Fat Tuesday. The tradition of the Koudounofori  is related to the figure of Saint Theodore. According to the legend the saint ordered, under a siege, the soldiers to slaughter all the remained sheep, to wear their fleece and bells and to march on the enemy. The sortie was a success.

Presented by Town of Sohos, Greece.

LABYRINTH

Cortile Mercato Vecchio
DURING THE FESTIVAL

A large labyrinth is set up in honour to the Greece on Cortile Mercato Vecchio, next to the Greek Piazza. During the festival is possible to enter in the labyrinth and try to find the way out. Or you can rise on the tribune and observe who is manoeuvring in the construction beneath.

GREEK NIGHT

Piazza dei Signori
Friday  at 9 pm

On the stage set up on Piazza dei Signori, transformed for the festival to Greek Piazza, can be seen various groups of Greek musicians and dancers who will revoke the ancient traditions. For information on the performers  see page Festival’s Music

KISPETIA

Piazza delle Erbe / Loggiato di Frà Giocondo (in case of rain)
FRIDAY at 10 pm, SATURDAY at 11.30 am, 4.30 pm, 10 pm
SUNDAY 12 am, 1 pm, 2.30 pm, 5 pm

The spectacular wrestling matches between two fighters with oiled body are taking place during  the entire period of the festival. The fights are being held following the precise schedule. For information see Kispetia in section Traditional Greek Games.

GAITANAKI

Piazza delle Erbe/Loggiato di Frà Giocondo (in case of rain)
FRIDAY at 9.30 pm, SATURDAY at 11 am, 1 pm, 3 pm, 5 pm
SUNDAY at 11 am, 1.30 pm, 3.30 pm, 5.30pm

This suggestive spectacle where the players or dancers are making a knot of coloured ropes around the central pale, has extremely antique origins and is traditionally aimed to predict future. The show is presented in various places and hours. For information see Gaitanaki in section Traditional Greek Games

PISSOTA

Piazza S. Anastasia / Chiostro Conservatorio Dall’Abaco (in case of rain)
SATURDAY at 1 pm and 9 pm
Sunday 1 pm and 2.30 pm

An antique game similar to bingo, where everyone can try fortune. For information see Pissota in section Traditional Italian Games.

KARAGIOZIS
GREEK SHADOW THEATRE

Church of S. Maria in Chiavica
Saturday at 5.30 pm, Sunday at 5.30 pm

The traditional Greek shadow theatre represents the adventures of Karaghiozis, a typical Greek soldier grappling with the invaders. Originally from Asia Minor, the tradition had its own particular elaboration in Greece. During the spectacles are being evoked also stories related to the myth. The representation is held on the public squares of the villages, on the lighted stage behind a curtain: in this way the paper-made puppets appear as shadows to the audience who follows passionately the story, an heritage of an ancient culture. The shadow theatre is discussed widely during a meeting of the cycle Storytelling in Game, for information see Vassiliki Nika on page Storytelling in Game.

Presented by Giannis Dagiakos Shadow Theatre Group, Athens.

INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT OF LIPPA
6th Edition

Piazza Viviani
Saturday from 9 am to 7 pm, Sunday (final) at 4.30 pm

For the sixth year Tocatì  hosts the International Tournament of Lippa, with twelve finalist teams. Lippa (see Traditional Italian Games) is widely known in various regions of the world. At the 6th International Prize of Lippa will participate 12 teams, representing different Italian and European territories: Cesa di Atella (Caserta), Farigliano (Cuneo), Feltre (Udine), Fossato Jonico (Reggio Calabria), Lucca, Mantova, Mede (Pavia), Milano, Piran (Slovenia), Pula (Croatia), Valldigna (Valencian Community - Spain), Verona. The Tournament winners of the previous editions are: 2004 Cesa di Atella, 2005 Verona, 2006 Mede, 2007 Verona, 2008 Piran.

Presented by Associazione Giochi Antichi

PARADOSIACHè PALE

Piazza delle Erbe/Loggiato di Frà Giocondo
SATURDAY at 12 am, 2 pm, 4 pm, 6 pm
SUNDAY at 10 am, 11.30 am, 4 pm, 6.30 pm

The wrestling matches according to the Greek tradition are taking place during the entire period of the festival. The fights are being held following the precise schedule. For information see Paradosiachè Pale in section Traditional Greek Games.

L’OSTARIA DE BERTO

Corticella Sgarzerie
SUNDAY at 5.30 pm

In the place where Ostaria dell’Amelia, loved by Berto Barbarani, was situated, the festival remembers with a special exhibition and a brief reading this veronese poet. An homage of the Ensemble Folkamazurka to the poet who was able to represent better than anyone else, throughout the lyrics in local dialect, the folks of Verona from the end of the Nineteenth century until the 1940’s: Roberto Tiberio“Berto” Barbarani (born and died in Verona, 1872-1945). Some of the most important Barbarani’s compositions will be read, accompanied by the traditional popular veronese music.

Voice: Mauro Dal Fior, guitar: Alfredo Nicoletti, violin: Livio Masarà, accordion: Paolo Martini.

We will also inform You that on Sunday, September 27th at 11 am in the bar of Gheduzzi Giubberosse Bookstore will be held a presentation of the new anthology of the poetry of Berto Barbarani, published by the Gheduzzi Giubberosse Bookstore. Will be present Guariente Guarienti, Giorgio Gioco and Mauro Dal Fior.

SPINE POETRY

SATURDAY at 3 pm, Gheduzzi Bookstore, Corso S. Anastasia
SATURDAY at 5.30 pm,  Rinascita Bookstore, Corso Porta Borsari
SUNDAY at 11.30 am, Pagina Dodici Bookstore, Corte Sgarzerie

Spine poetry is a pun played on the spines of the books, matched together to form a casual combination, which is photographed and exposed to create visual  metalanguage, suggestive and spontaneous, changing, contingent as the meaning itself of the words. This is making “spine poetry”, a performative activity seen as a game. The journalist  Antonella Ottolina and the graphic designer Silvano Belloni invite you to enter  inside three bookstores of the old town of Verona to try your hand in this game, seeing, touching, writing and taking photos, until arriving to compose the spine poetry.

In collaboration with Festival Parole in Gioco, Urbino

INTER-RELIGIOUS WORSHIP

The Cathedral  - Duomo
Saturday at 6 pm

In the Cathedral of Verona will be held an inter-religious ceremony in presence of His  Eminence Reverend Metropolitan Gennadios from Venice, and Don Flavio Bertoldi, principal of the Pastoral section for tourism, free time, sports, pilgrims of the Diocese of Verona.

Presented by Diocese of Verona

TOCASA

Via Trota
SATURDAY from 11.30 am to 1 pm
Via Ponte Pietra 25 B
SUNDAY  from 11.30 am to 1 pm

A veronese home will share with the guests of Tocatì the sense of everyday life. The mistress of the house with some friends and family members  will open for circa twenty minutes the doors to small groups. After the greetings, the visitors are invited to participate in the household. Someone will help with needlework, expression of handicraft and artistic creativity, the others will take part in the preparation of some typical plates. It’s about getting to know one another in everyday activities, it’s about entering in the heart of Verona and seeing the town from the other side of the doors. A shared moment will end the visit, leaving the guests with the consciousness of a profound connection.

RAI RADIO DUE ON THE AIR

Piazza dei Signori
Saturday /Sunday from 1 pm to 3 pm

It is possible to take part in the discussions and follow directly the interviews of the radio programme “Giocando” in Radio2 Rai in a small open-air auditorium. The programme broadcasts directly from Verona on Saturday from 1,35 pm to 3 pm. The historic weekly magazine on the world of games collaborates with the Festival with two extraordinary episodes from Greek Piazza (Piazza dei Signori) directed by Anna Cinque and Omero Cambi (www.radio.rai.it/radio2/giocando).