Not sure if you believe it or not, but this week is supposed to be the most depressing of the entire calendar year. Blue Monday might be just a clever marketing ploy but the whole January Blues is something that is quite real throughout the Northern Hemisphere. What was the solution that our ancestors came up with? Why not choose this time of the year and make it so that it is not only allowed to get silly, a bit rowdy and consume way too much sweets and alcohol? Yes, we're talking about carnival, something that Tuscans take very seriously. While the most famous carnival is the one in Viareggio, where hundreds of thousands of people gather to witness the massive, elaborate, satirical floats that parade on the Passeggiata every year, there are many other carnivals, a bit more quirky, that take place across the region. This week we've decided to tell you the stories of four of those special celebrations of the time before Lent, traditionally reserved to penance and restrain. There are some really unique and very ancient festivals that deserve way more attention than what they get now. Listen this episode and learn how a small town near Arezzo has pulled off an incredible feat: create from nothing a Venetian-style carnival that is neither cringeworthy or just plain awful. Listen to the story of how the workers of a massive steel mill on the coast managed to create a mascot for their carnival and use it as a way to express their grievances without getting arrested by the police. Find out how some clever partygoers used a very noble intention, helping out the poor, as a good excuse to have a massive banquet right before Lent. Plenty of surprises, as always so stick around! If you like what we do, just let us know what you think by dropping us a note on our social media accounts - all feedback greatly appreciated:
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LINKS TO SOURCES (ITALIAN ONLY)
http://www.carnevaledeifiglidibocco.it/
https://www.quinewsarezzo.it/castiglion-fibocchi-la-pademia-ferma-pure-vi-figli-di-bocco-comune-castiglionesi-carnevale.htm
https://valdarnopost.it/edizioni-locali/il-carnevale-dei-figli-di-bocco-una-tradizione-storica-di-castiglion-fibocchi-apprezzata-da-tutta-italia/
http://www.carnevaledifoiano.it/
https://www.greenme.it/viaggiare/italia/carnevale-foiano-della-chiana-antico/
https://www.arezzonotizie.it/attualita/annullato-carnevale-foiano-2022.html
https://www.facebook.com/carnevaledipiombino2014/
https://www.festedicarnevale.it/carnevale-di-piombino/
http://www.comune.piombino.li.it/moduli/output_immagine.php?id=3674
https://www.quinewsvaldicornia.it/piombino-la-leggenda-di-cicciolo-gordiano-lupi-blog.htm
http://news.prolocosangiovannivaldarno.it/festivita/
https://www.quinewsvaldarno.it/san-giovanni-valdarno-uffizio-di-santantonio-le-immagini-e-la-storia.htm
https://www.girovagate.com/2010/01/gli-uffizi-di-carnevale-di-san-giovanni.html
https://www.arezzonotizie.it/eventi/cultura/festa-salacca-2021-san-giovanni-valdarno.html

BACKGROUND MUSIC
Title: Waiting
Artist: Wayne John Bradley
License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
Links: https://soundcloud.com/ayneohnradley/waiting-original-uplifting-indie-pop-style-instrumentalcreative-commons