International Reunion of Chimney SweepsVerbania, Italy, 2019 Every year, on the last weekend of August, the small town of Santa Maria Maggiore in Valle Vigezzo hosts the International Chimney Sweep Festival to honor the trade and to commemorate the colleagues, mostly children, who have died in the last century sweeping the chimneys of rich people in big cities. Santa Maria Maggiore is the place internationally recognized as the cradle of this job and chimney sweeps delegations arrive from all over the world: Canada, USA, Japan, the farthest ones; the most from European countries. The three-days festival is a time to share camaraderie and joy and it culminates with the national groups parade on Sunday morning. Published on The New York Times in September 2019.
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Two Italian chimney sweeps cheer and wave the Italian flag from the roof of the old Town Hall building, as grand final of the chimney sweeps parade in Santa Maria Maggiore. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.
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Chimney sweeps from different countries of the world sit down for a cold beer and a chat outside the restaurant "Il Rusca" in Piazza Risorgimento in Santa Maria Maggiore. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times
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Two young chimeny sweeps from Denmark rest on a bench in the park surrounding Mueso dello Spazzazcamino (Chimney Sweep Museum) in Santa Maria Maggiore. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times
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Chimney sweeps dance together with tourists in the park surrounding Museo dello Spazzacamino (Chimney Sweep Museum) where a dance floor and a music band have been set in Santa Maria Maggiore. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.
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Some chimney sweeps dance in an openair disco set by the festival's organisers in Santa Maria Maggiore town center. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York
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Some chimney sweeps hang out in the courtyard of Santa Maria Maggiore Town Hall during the evening party in the town's streets. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York
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Some chimney sweeps play traditional music in Piazza Risorgimento in Santa Maria Maggiore, during the evening party in the town's streets. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.
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Some chimney sweeps chat in Piazza Risorgimento during the evening party in Santa Maria Maggiore town's streets. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.
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Fireworks explode from the roof of Santa Maria Maggiore Town Hall to celebrate the International Reunion of Chimney Sweeps. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.
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Chminey sweeps, from different countries of the world, wait the bus to reach Malesco, a town in Val Vigezzo, where they pay tribute to the statue of little Fausto Cappini, who died in Milan at the age of 13 for having touched high tension wires while cleaning a chimney. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.
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Dutch chimney sweeps, the only country wearing white working clothes, queue to pay tribute to the statue of little Fausto Cappini, who died in Milan at the age of 13 for having touched high tension wires while cleaning a chimney. The statue is in Malesco, a town of Val Vigezzo. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.
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Chimney sweeps from Denmark pay tribute to the statue of little Fausto Cappini, who died in Milan at the age of 13 for having touched high tension wires while cleaning a chimney. The statue is in Malesco, a town of Val Vigezzo. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.
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Chimney sweeps from different countries of the world gather in the main square of Villette, a town in Val Vigezzo, before visiting the museum and celebrating a mass dedicated to all the chimey sweeps who died on their working place. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.
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Chimney sweeps from Switzerland parade along the narrow pedestrian streets of Villette, a town of Val Vigezzo. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.
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Chimney sweeps from Switzerland parade along the narrow pedestrian streets of Villette, a town of Val Vigezzo. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.
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Chimney sweeps from different countries gather for a beer and a chat in front of the Town Hall of Villette, Val Vigezzo. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.
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Chimney sweeps from Germany wait outside the church of Villette, a town in Val Vigezzo, before attending the mass dedicated to all the chimey sweeps who died on their working place. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.
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Some women from Val Vigezzo, wearing traditional clothes, prepare to join the chimney sweeps parade in Santa Maria Maggiore on Sunday morning. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.
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Villagers from Val Vigezzo, wearing traditional clothes, dance at the town's music band in a pedestrian street of Santa Maria Maggiore, while waiting to join the chimney sweeps parade on Sunday morning. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.
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Policemen gather at the head of the chimney sweeps parade waiting to escort it, while villagers from Val Vigezzo, dressed in traditional clothes, get ready in a pedestrian street of Santa Maria Maggiore. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.
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The traditional music band of Val Vigezzo, walks in Piazza Risorgimento, the main square of Santa Maria Maggiore, heading the chimney sweeps parade on Sunday morning. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.
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Italian chimney sweeps cheer the crowd in Piazza Risorgimento, in front of the old Town Hall building, to the cry "spazzacamino". Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.
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The German group of chimney sweeps walks in Piazza Risorgimento, the main square of Santa Maria Maggiore, during the Sunday morning parade. It's a tradition for the chimney sweeps to throw candies and gadgets to the crowd. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.
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An Italian chimney sweep stains in soot the face of a woman among the crowd of people come to see the chimney sweeps' parade in Piazza Risorgimento, the main square of Santa Maria Maggiore. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.
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An American chimney sweep walks shadowing under a blue umbrella, in Piazza Risorgimento, the main square of Santa Maria Maggiore, during the Sunday morning parade. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.
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A group of German chimney sweeps stops in front of the authorities stage in Piazza Risorgimento, in Santa Maria Maggiore, to explode golden heart-shaped confetti. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.
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A view of Piazza Risorgimento from Santa Maria Maggiore Town Hall, during the chimney sweeps parade. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.
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People come to see the chimney sweeps' parade in Piazza Risorgimento, the main square of Santa Maria Maggiore, arrived since early morning in order to get the best spot. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.
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The German group of chimney sweeps walks in Piazza Risorgimento, the main square of Santa Maria Maggiore, during the Sunday morning parade. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.
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People cheer and collect the gadgets that chimney sweeps throw to them while parading in Piazza Risorgimento, the main square of Santa Maria Maggiore. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.
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The German group of chimney sweeps walks in front of the authorities stage in Piazza Risorgimento, the main square of Santa Maria Maggiore, on Sunday morning. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.
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The German group of chimney sweeps walks in Piazza Risorgimento, the main square of Santa Maria Maggiore, during the Sunday morning parade. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times.
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A Danish chimney sweep walks pushing his red bycicle in front of Museo dello Spazzacamino (Chimney Sweep Museum) in Santa Maria Maggiore. Elisabetta Zavoli for The New York Times
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