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You Can Skip It: Capri’s Feast of San Costanzo Parade


The Feast of San Costanzo is celebrated on May 14th

When I found out my recent trip to Capri coincided with the celebration of the feast of San Costanzo (the patron saint of the Italian Island)- the photographer in me got uber-excited. I’ve been to a few San Gennaro festivals and it’s always been a blast, and this time I’d have my cameras!

I shot this Vine video during the San Costanzo Parade

Considering the passionate way Italians live their lives, I thought the parade would have been off-the-hook fun and was prepared for it to be the photographic highlight of my trip to the Amalfi Coast. I was shocked that parade for the feast of San Costanzo turned out be the most depressing parade I’ve ever witnessed.

Celebrate Good Times… uh, not so much!

I understand that this parade is focused on something religious, but I’ve found most religious festivals to be, well, festive.

“girlfriend… this parade sucks!”

Usually little girls love dressing up, so to see this group of them in first communion garb failing to crack so much as a smile was a not only a letdown, but just confusing to my inner child.

This marching band could learn a few things by watching Drumline.

Perhaps I was let down is because I had high expectations. I went to USC, and the USC marching band has been known to perform with Fleetwood Mac from time to time. There did not seem to be a lot of joy involved.

Saxophone Girls on Capri

The parade started at Capri’s Marina Grande and proceeded up a steep hill to the church dedicated to the saint, so there was a bit of exertion involved. But no one seemed to be having much fun.

Clergy that looked like they were extras in The Borgias.

And then there was the clergy.  They looked like they were from central casting from The Borgias or something.

Clergy on Parade

The parade starts at Capri’s Marina Grande

The firecrackers on the beach sounded like gunfire

While I haven’t given up hope on one day attending an authentic Italian festival and taking amazing pictures, the Feast of San Costanzo parade on Capri was not. My advice: you can skip it– or at least you don’t need to go out of your way to attend it.