No Scotland, no festa - Italian town celebrates Caledonian connections
The town of Barga in Tuscany welcomes thousands of visitors for its three-day Scottish festival.
No Scotland, no festa - Italian town celebrates Caledonian connections
Barga has been described as the most Scottish town in Italy because of ties created through emigration
A small town in Italy drew thousands of people to a three-day celebration of its enduring links with Scotland.
Barga, in Tuscany, held its yearly Scottish weekend from Friday through Sunday.
Pipe bands marched through the streets, dancers performed, and a Highland games event was included in the festivities.
Barga has been described as the most Scottish town in Italy because of the number of emigrants who went to Scotland at the start of the 20th Century and between the two world wars, while keeping their connections with Tuscany.
Italian migrants began arriving in Scotland in large numbers from the late 1800s onwards, seeking to escape poverty and a shortage of economic opportunity.
Many of the earliest arrivals came from Tuscany and, especially, the Barga area, with many settling in Glasgow before later moving to towns and villages along the west coast.
Many first earned a living selling fish and chips or ice cream, and some were eventually able to retire in their homeland or buy property there.
As travel between the two countries became easier, the summer arrival of Scottish-Italians strengthened the link between Barga and Scotland.
Organisers said this year’s event in the town, which also hosts an annual fish and chips festival, drew a record crowd.
The local football stadium is named after Johnny Moscardini, the only Scottish-born player to represent the Italian men’s national team.
“An explosion of Scotland on the hills of northern Tuscany,” reported the town’s newspaper, the Giornale di Barga.
“There is a real invasion of visitors for the festival dedicated to Scotland and the links between Barga and Scotland.”
It estimated that between 5,000 and 6,000 people attended, setting a new record for the celebration.
“We have never seen so many people and it appears it was widely enjoyed as well,” the Giornale added.
Among the attractions were dancing, music and traditional Highland games.
Several restaurants also joined in by adding Scottish ingredients to their menus for the celebrations.
Planning has already begun for the event’s return next year.
Pipers moved through the town as part of the event
Many people in Barga have relatives in Scotland
Many emigrants left Barga at the beginning of the 20th Century, but many families have returned for good or for holidays