Parana in Festa

A village festival at the foot of the Lunigiana

Parana in Festa is the summer event that the hamlet of Parana, in the Municipality of Mulazzo (Massa-Carrara province, Tuscany), dedicates to the Madonna della Neve, traditionally celebrated on August 5th. Organized by the Amici di Parana association, the evening transforms the small Lunigiana village into a meeting place for residents, holidaymakers, and visitors, all in a genuine and familiar atmosphere.

Popular devotion and tradition

The festival originated from the celebration of the Madonna della Neve, a devotion deeply felt in the villages of Lunigiana and linked to the ancient miracle of summer snow. The social side of the event develops around this religious core, following a custom common in Tuscan inland towns: the community gathers to honor its patron saint and share an evening together, keeping local traditions alive.

Typical Lunigiana cuisine

The heart of the festival is the local cuisine. The Amici di Parana offer traditional local dishes from Lunigiana, to be enjoyed outdoors in the picturesque setting of Parana. The gastronomy of this borderland between Tuscany, Liguria, and Emilia is among the most distinctive in the Apennines, and the festival is the perfect occasion to savor it in an authentic, grassroots setting.

Live music and culture

The evening features live music with Fabio D'Andrea, accompanied by Riccardo Codeglia and Davide L'Abbate, in a repertoire blending singer-songwriter music and jazz. There is also space for culture with the presentation of the book by Fabrizio Ghironi: a moment that enriches the village festival with a literary touch, in line with the cultural vocation of Mulazzo, a village linked to the memory of Dante Alighieri and the Malaspina family.

Mulazzo, the village of Dante and the Malaspina

Parana is one of the hamlets of the Municipality of Mulazzo, one of the most evocative villages in Lunigiana, an ancient fiefdom of the Malaspina marquises and a place that, according to tradition, welcomed Dante Alighieri during his exile. Visiting Parana in Festa means immersing yourself in a hilly landscape rich in history, among castles, parish churches, and ancient stones, in one of the most fascinating and lesser-known areas of Tuscany.