Bonfire Festival

The Festa del Falò is a typical festival of the village of Rocca San Casciano which, given its originality, suggestiveness and grandeur, is now well-known even outside the province. Its origins are a bit obscure: some make it go back to pagan rituals, Celtic in particular. It is said that in Rocca San Casciano, since the twelfth century, bonfires were lit along the banks of the river Montone in order to placate the waters from ruinous floods. Starting from 1700, the religious celebration of St. Joseph (March 19) has been grafted onto this pagan celebration and for many years this was the only date on which the feast took place. Tradition called for a bonfire to be lit in the courtyards of each district and around it people ate, drank and danced. In more recent times, bonfires have returned to the river bank, in their original position, and from here, in the last century, a challenge has begun between the four factions that represented the main city districts: Borgo di Sopra, Borgo di Sant ' Antonio, Buginello and Mercato. Of these four original districts, only two remain today: the Borgo di Sopra and the Mercato.

In our days it is possible to see this tradition of bonfires repeated in many other places; it can take on the most varied meanings such as the commemoration of the patron saint, the celebration of the arrival of spring or the invocation of a good year for harvesting in the fields. The festival that can be seen in Rocca San Casciano is to be considered practically unique in that the rivalry that arises between the two districts means that activities are generated to give greater visibility to one's faction than the other which makes it a real event throughout the year for the entire citizenship.

In our days it is possible to see this tradition of bonfires repeated in many other places; it can take on the most varied meanings such as the commemoration of the patron saint, the celebration of the arrival of spring or the invocation of a good year for harvesting in the fields. The festival that can be seen in Rocca San Casciano is to be considered practically unique in that the rivalry that arises between the two districts means that activities are generated to give greater visibility to one's faction than the other which makes it a real event throughout the year for the entire citizenship.

"Terra", "Aria", "Acqua", "Fuoco": these are said to be the ingredients of the village festival. The two districts challenge each other by building on the two banks of the Montone river that crosses the town and then in the heart of the town, two enormous stacks made of broom and pine needles that take on two different forms, almost reminiscent of the two different cultural roots that the city has . In fact, the stack of the "Borgo di Sopra" takes on a rounded shape like the old haystacks that were made in the Romagna countryside while that of the "Market" is conical in shape like the haystacks of the Tuscan countryside. Even the colors of the two factions recall these different origins as one has red and blue, typical of the Emilia-Romagna region, the other the white and red typical of the Tuscany region. The party begins on Saturday afternoon, continuing the formation of the two stacks and culminates in the evening when between the shouts and the scoffing choirs of the supporters of the two districts, the two stacks are lit at the same time accompanied by the sound of the bells. Even if for years now there is no longer a competition with a trophy, the quicker and better ignition will decide the winning district and will be the reason for discussion and mockery for the whole year to follow. While the haystacks are burning, the dispute continues and it will be the moment of the fireworks display with fireworks for the "Borgo di Sopra", and the barrels for the "Market" that has discharges of large firecrackers that are lit at the same time and that produce a very strong sound. Here the challenge is to wait for the opposing district to start first and try to cover their noise. The party continues after about an hour, when the bonfires have now reduced, they then move to the town square where the parades of masked wagons begin: each district has about an hour to give free vent their imagination on a theme that they have chosen. In fact, each show is based on a different theme that changes from year to year and is now inspired by a geographic country or place, now with particular or fantasy themes. Following this, two or three large allegorical wagons are created by each district, animated by dozens of people surrounded by dozens of participants who are part of the parade that follows on foot. To set up these wagons and make the costumes (each one provides on their own) there is a work of many months, showed off in the enthusiasm of a show that lasts less than an hour. As soon as one district leaves the square the other enters, all accompanied by music and lights. At just past past midnight when supporters retire to their districts to celebrate the successes of the evening, while the square begins to empty itself little by little. The afternoon of the day after, on Sunday, the parade with the floats is repeated for the little ones.

In 1991 the municipal administration of Rocca San Casciano promoted the publication of the booklet "La festa dei falcon di Rocca San Casciano - History and traditions of a Tuscan-Romagnese community" (Forlì, pp. 127) by the scholar Simonetta Tassinari, original of the locality. The research, accompanied by numerous photographs, is divided into four parts: The country; The cultural identity of Rocca San Casciano in the Romagna tradition; The reasons for the party; The testimonies of the protagonists. In the third part, in the paragraph entitled "Overall critical reading of the bonfire festival as a folkloric event", it is claimed that the bonfire festival is a propitiation ritual and, together, of purification, which is part of the European fireworks tradition.

The anniversary of St. Joseph was probably associated with the lighting of the bonfires during the eighteenth century, due to the presence of the Friars in the village.

It takes place the first week of April.