by Valentina Salcedo
Opicina, a Trieste neighborhood full of beauty and history, is inviting everyone to take part in the annual “Festa Di San Bartolomeo” which will last from Thursday, 17 August to Wednesday, 23 August with events and entertainment galore.
Opicina will see many Trieste locals arrive for the traditional feast, which will see events for kids and adults alike, from chess games to free ice-cream tastings.
A mini chess tournament by the Accademia Scacchi Trieste will be proposed with free demonstrations for the kids who play on Saturday, 19 August. For the chess tournaments the players will be divided into experts, beginners, and young people (under 14). The event will be hosted in the area behind the Parish of San Bartolomeo Apostolo.
The fun starts in the morning of August 17 with the antique market, which will include collectibles and artistic crafts. The market takes place every third Thursday of the month from 8 am to sunset along the sidewalks of Via Nazionale, Strada per Vienna and Via di Prosecco in Opicina.
Friday 18 and Saturday 19 August, from 6 pm free entertainment is scheduled for children in the churchyard, which will include inflatable structures and the slide of Adriano Rosada. On Saturday, all visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy a free scoop of ice cream from Geletaria Arnoldo.
On Monday 21 August at 8 pm, in a typical Karst courtyard (behind the Trattoria pizzeria Veto), the world-renowned accordionist and Opicina local, Aleksander Ipavec, will enchant locals and visitors alike.
On Tuesday, August 22, from 6 p.m. various chess games will take place, open to everyone and anyone.
On Wednesday afternoon everyone is invited to register for a free tournament by the Accademia di Scacchi Trieste.
Lara Fortunat will perform a short concert on Wednesday night and at 9 p.m. An exhibition of the Diatonic Accordion World Champion Denis Novato, accompanied by guitarist Walter Bet and bassist Boris Stopar will follow in the churchyard.
On Thursday, August 24, the day dedicated to the patron saint, a Holy Mass will be celebrated outdoors under the chestnut trees. The bilingual rite will be officiated, in Italian and Slovenian for the Italian and Slovenian Communities of the Parish and at the end snacks and drinks will be offered.
The celebrations for the patron saint will end on Sunday 27 August at 9.30 am with the celebration of the Holy Mass in the Slovenian language which will be followed by the solemn procession around the church.
“We are pleased to be able to present again this year the Feast of St. Bartholomew, an anniversary really enjoyed by the residents who will also be able to count on a particularly rich program in 2023”, commented the president of the Consorzio.
The president also highlighted that their goal is to keep traditions and make it public with the festivity for citizens and for visitors alike.
