During Sept 5- 9 a group of 15 North Americans (USA and Canada) had the fortune to participate in the th Festival AntIco Organetti . Organized in the medieval burg Longiano the festival ent on for 5 full days. Beginning with the welcoming visit of our three hostesses, Manuela, Giulia and Sonia in Cesenatico and ending with all participants singing for us Auld Lang Syne (Should auld acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind?) at the farewell lunch, we had a magnificent time in Emilia Romagna.

The Festival was highly rated by
all our participants – its organization, the various cultural manifestations, the friendliness of the people from Italy as well as the organ players from the other countries. Here are some of the reactions of our participants regarding this part of our trip.

The dinner and dancing under the stars in “La Felloniche was the highlight of my trip
Meeting wonderful and congenial mechanical music friends in Longiano
If I were to do this tour again I would not hesitate to dance in Italy and eat the olives off the tree
Learning the Italian “No Problem” and “It’s only a suggestion” was a highlight of my trip.
Listening to Gianluca Turchi as the founder of the business and his conversation with the Pope, right there under the olive trees was the best!
The organ concert in the Church and the entertainment in Longiano gave me goose bumps
My best Sunday ever was the Mart /Exchange Show in Longiano followed by a cappuccino and pastry.
Visiting Franco’s house and listening to his collection of “piano melodico” represents my most vivid memory of the trip.

I knew about the Longiano Festival for 4-5 years from my friend Franco Severi. I immediately wanted to experience it. It happened this year as the organizer of this trip. At the end of the festival I signed up and became a member of AMMI. I am most grateful to AMMI and all the organizers for a magnificent job and more than anything for their cooperation and friendliness in all aspects.

Kudos to Franco, and his three Adriatic muses for a great job.

Nick Lerescu