Italy is well known for its many traditional festivals, from grandiose medieval pageants and world famous events such as Il Palio di Siena to the smaller scale sagre based on traditional regional recipes and wines.
But for the last 40 years a rather unusual, yet none the less typically Italian Festival has taken place in Le Piastre, a small village in the province of Pistoia, Tuscany: Il Festival della Bugia (The Festival of the Lie)

The winner of last year’s graphics section of the Campionato delle Bugie: A disabled war veteran finds a way to make use of his disability on the Farm. He drills holes in the field with his wooden leg and crutch whilst his wife plants seedlings in them. Illustration by Sergio Tessarolo

Quei Raccontaballe Attorno Al Fuoco (Telling Lies Around The Fire)

Emanuele Begliomini, Il Magnifico Rettore dell’Accademia della Bugia (The Magnificent Rector of the Academy of Lies), explains the origins of the festival: “L’Accademia è nata in tempi lontani quando non c’erano le TV e gli abitanti del paesino si radunavano la sera attorno al fuoco. Si scambiavano storie che avevano sentito e che trasformavano con la fantasia”.
“The Academy began ages ago when there wasn’t any TV and the inhabitants of the village got together in the evening around the fire. They exchanged stories that they’d heard and which they transformed into fantasy”.

From the old tradition of raccontare un sacco di balle (literally: to talk a load of balls), grew the idea of setting up an annual event with a prize for the best liar. In Le Piastre, during the period of the festival, you never know what to believe. People compete to tell the most extravagant lies, and on every corner posters announce questionable events, such as the opening of a new Egyptian museum or the discovery of an Etruscan statue, or warnings of non-existent dangers like ‘Attenti All’Orso!’ (Beware of the Bear!).

Il Muro Al Contrario (The Back To Front Wall)

This year’s champion liar, a Mr. Mari from Ferrara, who in ‘real life’ maintains himself to be a very serious person, decided to take part in the competition for a bit of fun. Once on the stage, he announced to the audience that “ … gli ungheresi avrebbero comprato il muro di Berlino per difendersi dai migranti. Ma che avendolo montato al contrario, hanno ottenuto l’effetto opposto”
… “the Hungarians had bought the Berlin Wall to defend themselves against immigrants. But having put it up back to front they obtained the opposite effect”. Thus Hungary became the most welcoming country for migrants in the whole of Europe!

La Giuria (The Jury)

Mari was chosen out of 24 competitors as this year’s champion liar by a jury composed of politicians and journalists. The Magnificent Rector explains the philosophy behind the composition of the jury: “I politici, per statuto, non possono partecipare al concorso. Quindi li mettiamo in giuria … ne dicono già tante di balle ogni santo giorno! E poi se ne intendono”
“Politicians, by statute, can’t take part in the competition. Therefore we put them in the jury … they already tell so many lies every blessed day! They’re experts on the subject.”

The implication being: Who could be better qualified than politicians and journalists to pass professional judgement on the quality of lie?

Visit the official website here: Campionato Della Bugia