Siege of the Villa
On the third weekend in September every year, Poggio a Caiano is the scene of a folk festival called Siege of the Medici Villa. The celebration has recent origins but it recalls an episode that occurred in the Renaissance: on the occasion of Princess Giovanna of Austria's stay in Poggio a Caiano on the 8th of December 1565 for her marriage with Francesco I de’ Medici it was ordered the free distribution of wine to the townspeople in front of the gates of the Villa. The tradition was revived in the 20th century to celebrate special occasions such as the end of the Second World War. Since 1984 as well as the free distribution of wine, the three-day celebrations include a busy programme of cultural and gastronomic events and an antiques market in the town's streets.
