Terni (TR) - This year's edition of the Festa delle Acque in Piediluco will run from July 1st to 8th. Once more, this magical lakeside village near Terni will be offering its tribute to summer in the form of a parade of allegorical boats.
Midsummer festivities have been held here since pre-Christian times, when the local tribes venerated the Summer Solstice at this time of year and in particular the god Neptune, whose temple stood on the western shores of the lake in the area that is known today as San Nicolò.
The procession of boats over the water was a favourite sight for many Grand Tour travellers through Italy in the 18th and 19th century.
Today's event is a revival that came into being after WWII and included an element of competition with a jury deciding a winner. Over the years the preparations behind these allegorical crafts have developed considerably and now often include complicated machinery for all kinds of dazzling special effects.
