San Lorenzo Festivities on August 10

Florence’s Church of San Lorenzo with a banner of St. Lawrence on his feast day (Aug. 10)

Wednesday, August 10:  THE FEAST OF SAN LORENZO.  Piazza San Lorenzo and other venues. 

In Florence, the feast of San Lorenzo (St. Lawrence) is celebrated on August 10. The renaissance-style festival is a trademark of the characteristic neighborhood around the church of San Lorenzo near the Central Market.

The feast day will start with the procession of Florentines at 9:45 am on the route of the Palagio di Parte Guelfa towards the Palazzo Vecchio. Locals with the traditional medieval dressing will arrive in Piazza San Lorenzo with the crowd at 10:15 am. Afterward, Mass will be celebrated by Cardinal Giuseppe Betori at 11 am in the basilica of San Lorenzo, with the offering of candles by city officials.

The distribution of free meals on the feast of San Lorenzo is a Florentine tradition and will be handed out to the crowds again this year. The dinner includes penne pasta with ragù (meat and tomato sauce) and wine, as well as a choice of yogurt or watermelon, and it will be provided by the local businesses and volunteers in and around Piazza San Lorenzo at 8:30 pm. In addition to the dinner service, a concert will also take place around the same time. Back in medieval times, guests were treated to pieces of grilled steak as part of the festival.