April in Florence : Aprile a Firenze

The explosion of the cart of St. John, or the "Scoppio del Carro", in Piazza Duomo on Easter morning.

April is a very busy month in Florence, with the biggest event of course being Easter (Pasqua) and all the fanfare surrounding it.

One of the most unique celebrations of Easter in Florence is the "scoppio del carro", or in English, the "explosion of the cart" (of St. John the Baptist). The cart itself is also known as "Il Brindellone", which is also the name of a great Florentine trattoria.

This medieval Florentine tradition is a spectacle not to be missed. The ceremony started sometime during the crusades, and the original cart was said to be lit by a flint brought back from Jerusalem by members of the Pazzi family. The cart gets led into Piazza Duomo by two white oxen amid much fanfare, flag throwing, and drum playing. It is covered in various fireworks and other exploding devices, and lit by a fake dove that comes shooting out of the Duomo doors on a wire. The mass starts at 11 am, the cart usually gets lit around noon. Do not miss it! (Not an event for the noise adverse.)

That is just Easter! Other major annual events that happen in April are:

• March 14th to August 23rd: Mark Rothko at Palazzo Strozzi Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi is presenting one of the most significant retrospectives ever dedicated to Mark Rothko.
• April 4: The Firenze Half Marathon - this annual event has been taking place for 40 years in the heart of Florence
• April 19th to July 1st: The Festival del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino has another amazing line up of concerts and opera performances starting in April and running all the way until July this year.
• April 25th: Liberation Day - a national holiday which is celebrated which is somberly remembered in Florence with various ceremonies
• April 25th to May 3rd: The Mostra Internazionale dell'Artigianato - is an Italian event that celebrates traditional craftsmanship and artisanship
• April 25th to May 3rd: The Spring Exhibition of Plants and Flowers at the Horticulture Garden
• April 25th to May 20th: The opening of the Florence Iris Garden - The Società Italiana di Iris (Italian Iris Society) is dedicated to the cultivation, appreciation, and promotion of irises in Italy (free admission)
• The Notte Bianca (or White Night) - the annual all night street party (one of my favorite events of the year) (sadly, the Notte Bianca has been cancelled since the COVID 19 epidemic)