First part 1904 - 1948

Notice: (Reports of editions prior to 1939 are being prepared)

Year 1939.

On the occasion of Carnival 1939 a special event was organised: the first "1st Sanremese Festopoli" which took place from 11th to 26th February, under the aegis of the Opera Nazionale Dopolavoro and the Azienda Autonoma Soggiorno e Turismo. Not only the usual courses with masks and allegorical floats or the parade of flowered floats were set up, but the new formula provided for the creation in Piazza Eroi Sanremesi of a small town of festivities, where traditional amusements and attractions could be found, i.e. carousels, roller coasters, shooting galleries and even a stretch of water on which small motorboats sailed, but also shops for the sale of sweets, specialities and typical products of Italian agriculture and industry.
Two tall colourful panels installed at the beginning of Via Feraldi and a large allegorical portal at the beginning of the square welcomed visitors and introduced them to the paradise of entertainment.
A typical Sanremasca tavern had been set up, with waiters wearing the costumes of our tradition and offering the public the gastronomic delicacies of Liguria, accompanied by wines of regional production: from the Rossese of Dolceacqua to the wine of Coronata, from the vermentino of Poggio and Bussana to the wines of the Cinque Terre. Near the tavern there was a sixteen-metre-high tower, surrounded by pavilions that hosted festivals, performances of folk songs and dances, competitions of artists and craftsmen.
In this vast and lively picture could not miss the parade of flowered floats, which for the occasion had assumed the name of "Corso Fiorito di Eleganza", because the cars had to present decorations of high artistic tone and the crews were required to wear very fashionable and very elegant clothing.
There were 15 very rich prizes up for grabs, as well as a souvenir doll for all the participating cars. The jury, whose composition was secret and the judgement unquestionable, had to evaluate not only the floral decoration and the crews' clothing, but also the horse harness and the coachmen's uniforms.
The parade took place on Sunday 19th February at 3 p.m.; all the participating cars were gathered in the square of the railway station or in Piazza Sardi, then they walked along Corso Carlo Alberto (now Via Nino Bixio n.d.a.) to enter C.so Umberto (now C.so Mombello n.d.a.), venue of the event.
The crowd of spectators, estimated at about 40,000 people, came to Fiumane from ordinary and special trains from all over Italy and the nearby Côte d'Azur: those who were left without entrance tickets had to be content to watch the cars pass through Corso Carlo Alberto before entering the parade route of c.so Umberto.
On the stage of honour took place, among others, the Authorities and Hierarchs of the Province, the Podestà of Sanremo, the General Commander of the "Cosseria" Division, the President of the Autonomous Tourist Board, the Questore (Police Commissioner), the Commander of the Carabinieri and other illustrious personalities: many journalists sent by the most important national newspapers were also present.
About 2,200 seats were provided at a cost of 10 lire each in comfortable grandstands located in strategic points and other seats at 5 lire in the lower part of Umberto. The popular seats from L.2. were very crowded.
The procession was opened by the Banda Città di Sanremo, which played the song of Festopoli, composed by Maestro Marcello Cortopassi, and then took its place in the specially prepared grandstand, continuing to perform music for the entire duration of the course.
The first vehicle was the rich crew of the "Sun King", from the city of Ventimiglia, pulled by three pairs of sumptuously barded horses. The royal couple on board wore wonderful 17th century costumes and the floral decoration was truly fantastic.
They followed the car presented by the Ente Mostra Floreali, decorated by Cesare Cullino di Bordighera with different qualities of carnations. Three beautiful girls wore elegant blue dresses.
Then came the coach of the lawyer Nicolò Ferri, set up by the Cullino sisters of Ventimiglia in pink and sky-blue shades with four very elegant young girls in their spring dresses.
"Spring of Mendelssohn" was the title of the "Balilla" car of Mrs. Nora Elvira Preti, decorated by the florist Antonio Bestagno with flowering almond branches on which hovered a flight of iridescent dragonflies that gave a touch of innate musicality.
It was then the turn of "Cesto Paesano": a masterpiece of elegance and elegance, also thanks to the beauty of the young girls on board who looked like blue butterflies flying from flower to flower.
A small car hosted the "Triumph of the Rose", with a couple of young parents on board accompanied by their baby, just a few months old, who had been lying in a cradle of rose petals.
A donkey with a lively look pulled a tiny eighteenth-century carriage, decorated by the florist Egle Monti Rodi with violets and medeola, which housed three children in eighteenth-century costumes.
Conceived by Anna Ida Ghersi here is a landau richly decorated with miosotis and Anita carnations, which was matched by a magnificent car decorated with pink Anita carnations, don't forget me and long ribbons, also pink.
The well-known flower exporters Giuseppe Ginatta and Piero Porro paraded on the course with a car transformed into .... gondola: a truly original creation, of exquisite workmanship, made to perfection that met with general sympathy.
An elegant Lancia "Augusta" car followed, all decorated with magnificent pink carnations and iridescent silks; the crew wore rich Montenegrin costumes.
A flowery chariot, entitled "Fantasia white-violet", was in bloom with a harmonious profusion of white carnations and violets and housed three lovely Sanremo beauties.
Much admired was a car decorated with multicoloured flowers, from which three pretty maidens distributed flowers and smiles to everyone.
Here then is the car of Eng. Fenolio, magnificently decorated by the florist A. Bestagno with a pattern of pink carnations and broom and decorated with white and pink ribbons and bows.
A magnificent carriage literally covered with pink carnations and thirsty pink carnations of the same shade offered to the sight two elegant ladies who gave a spring light to their car.
It was then the turn of a carriage that looked like a bouquet of pink carnations and blue flowers, with two beautiful and smiling San Remo ladies.
A richly flowery Fiat "Mickey Mouse" was parading, from which two couples emerged to greet the spectators with warmth.
Another "Mickey Mouse", decorated with very good taste, and a rich Fiat "1500" all ribbons and bows alternating with floral motifs gathered applause and acclaim along the way.
Next up was a flowery car with marvellous carnations in two shades of pink and a two horse-drawn carriage decorated with white carnations and broom, which housed some people from Bordighera.
Still from Bordighera came to take part in the course an .... motorboat on wheels richly flowered.
Much applauded was a "Vittoria" model carriage sumptuously decorated with mimosas and matching ribbons as well as silk decorations on the wheels.
A gigantic pink silk rose stood out on the profusion of sloping yellow and violet tones and the ensemble adorned a beautiful and elegant Fiat "1500" on which some little children with their parents stood out for their liveliness.
Another Vittoria carriage, entitled "Ottocento floreale", with three beautiful maidens in pink silk dresses, appeared generously decorated with pink carnations and decorated with ribbons and bows of the same colour.
Here then is a carriage designed by Pamela and Anna Dickson, who praised the Italian-English friendship, with trophies of flags of the two nations and the coat of arms of Sanremo in multicoloured flowers.
Following the car of the Ratti Hotel (Des Etrangers n.d.a.), a splendid reproduction of a Venetian gondola made with violets and carnations while the "felze" (cockpit of the gondola n.d.a.) was made of broom and evergreen. Much admired were the three pretty maidens on board, who wore delightful costumes.
A flowered wheelchair that depicted a cool pergola and was pulled by a small donkey, but at a certain point the fatigue accumulated due to its light weight did not allow the parade to continue.
The carriage of the "Londra" Hotel, richly decorated with red carnations and violets, was very appreciated, while the "Savoia" car hosted some daughters of brave officers of the 42nd Infantry Regiment.
A rich and elegant motorboat of fragrant and brightly coloured flowers, with the allusive title "Arriba España", also aroused considerable interest.
An elegant Lancia "Augusta" adorned with mimosas and violets also attracted a lot of sympathy for the showy horseshoe in the centre of the car.
Warm applause greeted the carriage adorned with cerise carnations and broom with three beautiful and smiling young girls in Spanish style dresses on board.
Then came the "Le Rondinelle" car, designed by Jeanne Semiglia, decorated with mimosa and violets with two lively, elegantly dressed young ladies.
A beautiful carriage had been fitted out by the famous florist Giuseppe Carbonetto, and was decorated with "900" carnations and brooms. On board had found place his daughter and a granddaughter of the car's creator.
Then followed "Fantasia Floreale" created by Mrs. Torri: a flowery cloud of different and luminous shades.
The Baroness Von Mosch's car showed an elegant decoration with violets, broom, roses and carnations of surprising effect.
Then came the car prepared by Mrs Egle Garavaglia, a veritable goldsmith's shop, both for the floral decoration and for the elegant dress worn by the lady hosted on board.
Afterwards, several cars were paraded on behalf of numerous hotels; among the most beautiful are: the carriage of Pensione Mafalda, Eletto, Miramare, Vittoria and Rome, Terminus, Grande Albergo and Centrale.
There were also cars set up on behalf of various local authorities: Casinò, Associazione Commercianti, Comitato Festeggiamenti Bordighera, Comitato Organizzatore and others.
In total, among the cars in competition, others out of competition and some arrived unexpectedly at the last minute, about eighty vehicles took part in the parade, making it almost impossible to describe them all in a satisfactory way.
The "blooming battle" finally subsided, also due to the exhaustion of the participants' forces, around 5 p.m.; the route began to slowly depopulate, leaving on the ground a layer of over ten centimetres of flowers and confetti, the only casualties of the day, and the jury carried out its task of awarding the expected prizes to the different categories of vehicles.
The ranking of cars awarded in the "Corso Fiorito di Eleganza" was as follows:

I Category - Large Cars
1st prize car nr. 104 by Mrs. Elisa Rossi
2° " " 11 " " Anna Ida Ghersi
" " ex-aequo " 12 " Mr. Ginatta and Mr. Porro
3° " " 18 " Mrs. Maria Delfino Canali
" " ex-aequo " 24 " Mr Aldo Damilano

II Category - Large Cars
1st prize car nr. 29 by Mrs. Pamela and Anne Dickson
2° " " 14 " " Virginia Nuvoloni
" " ex-aequo " " 27 " " Carlangela and Maria Belloni
" " " 40 " " Towers
3° " " 22 " " Maria Di Carlo
" " " " 31 " Signor Albergo Ratti

III Category - Victory Cars
1st prize car nr. 28 by Mrs. Maria Teresa Rolando
2° " " 3 " Bordighera Celebrations Committee
3° " Not Assigned

IV Category - Normal Cars
1st prize car nr. 33 by Mr. Piero Prina
2° " " 4 " Mrs Elvira Preti
" " ex-aequo " 5 " ing. Aldo Morando
" " " 7 " Mrs Rosetta Migliorini
3° " " 25 " Mr. G. B. Carassale
" " " 37 " " Giacomo Musso

V Category - Mickey Mouse
1st prize car nr.13 " Mrs. Carla Nuvoloni
2° " " 17 " ing. Bernardo Fenolio
" " ex-aequo " 20 " Signor Massimo Fontana
3° " " 21 " Mrs. Anna Maionica

Out of Category - Mignon Car
1st prize car nr. 9 " Mrs Egle Monti Rhodes
2° " " 18 " " Nives Albano
3° " Not Assigned

(News extracted from "L'ECO DELLA RIVIERA" of Wednesday 8 - Wednesday 15 - Saturday 18 - Wednesday 22 February 1939)