The long standing Fiera di San Luca (Fair of Saint Luke) brings back the marketplace tradition of Impruneta on October 10 – 18. It is estimated that Fiera di San Luca began around the year 1000, but was not recorded until the seventeenth century, making it the oldest livestock fair in Europe. Shepherds travelled from the region of Maremma in southern Tuscany to the Apennines Mountains with their livestock because of the changing seasons. Impruneta became an important stopping point on the shepherds’ journey to rest, buy supplies and sell their livestock, milk, cheese, or wool. This exchanging of goods marked Impruneta as a thriving marketplace and grew into Fiera di San Luca.
Peruse the marketplace stands and find a selection of food, wines, clothing and leather goods. The fair is also a showcase for terra cotta, the craft synonymous with Impruneta. Fiera di San Luca includes more than market stands, with various exhibits of vintage cars and agricultural machinery. Chef Luca Managlia will host a cooking show exhibition and review peposo, a beef stew from Impruneta made with Chianti red wine, pepper, and tomato. The whole family can enjoy the festival’s other attractions: a small amusement park and a grand finale fireworks show. (stephanie ino)
