Part Three 1955 - 1960

Year 1955

After a long and lively press campaign, the organizers decided that the new edition of the flowery course would adopt a renewed formula: no more floats with subjects designed by competitors, but a series of projects proposed by tourism companies in various Italian cities that would be carried out by expert local fitters, veterans protagonists of many flower battles. No changes were made to the "cars" category.
The name of the event was changed to "Italia in Fiore".
The idea was very much appreciated and attracted numerous adhesions from all over the country.
With an unhappy choice and for reasons not very clear, it was decided to shorten the route by carrying it out on the ring: piazzale dell'autostazione, a short stretch of Via Roma, Corso O. Raimondo up to the music kiosk in via Ruffini and back on corso O. Raimondo, via Manzoni and piazzale autostazione.
Audience turnout was estimated at over 50,000 people barely held by the wooden barriers, with considerable difficulty in accessing the stands for spectators who had in any case paid the regular ticket. The service of order was not particularly efficient and the pressure of the crowd, eager to attend the course and grab a floral trophy, caused the invasion of the route, not allowing to make all three laps, in fact the parade was interrupted at the end of the second lap, despite the usual flowery battle had just begun.
Some of the spectators complained about some bruises and other minor damages, but there was a real risk that there were much more serious consequences, especially for women and children who risked suffocating or being crushed in the middle of the general crowd.
The decoration along the route, consisting of a series of arches designed by Del Gatto, and the truly evocative and original lighting set up by the Torre company, was a great success. The Marina district was also involved, decorated with marvellous luminous decorations, where they found a place: the amusement park, two very crowded dance floors and a theatre stage for the performance of Sanremo amateurs.
Up to the last there were fears for the weather which was quite bad with rain and wind on the day immediately before, but on Sunday 20th February the sun came out again and the parade could take place regularly.
It could well be said that Sanremo had finally found, with "Italia in fiore", the Carnival event that it had been looking for in vain for many years. The flower, once again, was the true lord of the feast and the new formula appeared in every way, including a certain folkloristic and popular touch that had been missing in previous editions.
The Swedish actress Martha Toren, guest of honour at the event, in her uncertain Italian, expressed herself as follows: "Never seen my life more beautiful. Never in Sweden, not even in America have I ever seen a party like this".

The parade began around 2 p.m., on the lively and catchy notes of the official Matuziano Carnival song, Christmas music by Andreini and the words of Egisto Malfatti, who also played the role of speaker of the festival, with the folk band "Rumpi e Strepa" of Finalmarina, more numerous and noisier than ever, always applauded, preceded by a splendid and admired mascot who had nothing to envy to certain divas of the screen, in terms of physical performance and "sex appeal". She followed Bordighera's elegant and noisy "Tiralogni" band in its bright uniforms. Then the "Aveva un Bavero" by Salsomaggiore, composed of good elements both in obtaining joyful notes from the most varied instruments and in singing, preceded by a tireless master who performed dance steps with an elegantly dressed mannequin. He followed the famous band of Lagundo (Merano) with a large number of performers wearing typical costumes, with half legged moleskin trousers and feathered hats.
The impressive line-up was completed by numerous characteristic ensembles combined with their vehicles: the "Renzo e Lucia" group, directed by Maestro Attilio Bianchi, who made the passage of the landau of the E.P.T. of Como, the "Canterini of Trento", the group of the "Tarantella Sorrentina"; finally the superb choirs of the "Conca d'Oro" of Palermo and "Etneo" of Catania.
Then the flowery procession began, opened by the cart of the organizing committee "L'Italia in Fiore", designed and realized by Oddo Antellini, together with some talented collaborators: it represented the Italic boot, with twelve thousand carnations of precious varieties that were used to cover the various regions with different shades; it crowned a group of young people in local costume. The subject, of excellent and suggestive effect, was much applauded.
The chariot of the E.P.T. of Savona, designed by Beppe Dominici, depicted a sea trophy with moving seahorses, surrounded by magnificent flowers, elegant in structure and harmony of colours: delightful "sirens" sheathed in golden dresses animated the scene, while two bold young men acted as coachmen.
The wagon of the Merano and South Tyrol Health Resort, set up by Gino Barla, reproduced the motifs of the famous thermal springs and the equestrian competition combined with the dispensing lottery of millions; the folklore costumes worn by young people from the same region were very elegant.
It was followed by the cart of the E.P.T. of Ancona, based on an artistic project by Prof. Capannari, made by Antellini and Monti; it represented a typical fishing boat, the "paranza" surmounted by a large sail with the coat of arms of the Ancona fishing fair. Everything had been decorated with impressive flowers. A group of young people from Sanremo gave life to the subject.
It was then the turn of two beautiful cars set up by Barla e Monti:
The first was entitled "Cinderella" decorated with pink carnations with a beautiful little girl and an elegant page;
the second was "Giulietta e Romeo", in dark red carnations, with two nice young people on board wearing appropriate costumes.
Then, the cart of the A.P.T. of Venice was paraded, set up by Lindita Biggio with the skilful collaborators Piero and Carletto Bernocchi; the subject was an authentic artistic gondola, twelve metres long, lying on a sea of fragrant and delicate violets from Taggia and Parma.
Then there was the cart of the E.P.T. of Pisa, set up again by Lindita Biggio and the Bernocchi brothers: it represented the famous stylized leaning tower, among a profusion of white and pink carnations.
Then the wagon of the Olympic Committee of Cortina d'Ampezzo, also made by Lindita Biggio, with a large sledge lying on a white and fluffy carpet made of 1,200 dozens of white violacs and topped by the classic five Olympic circles in multicoloured carnations.
The next car was also designed and fitted out by Lindita Biggio with a profusion of multicoloured flowers and was dedicated to a delightful little girl in Maria Stuarda costume, accompanied by two elegant pageboys.
Also by Lindita Biggio was the floral decoration of the eight Sicilian carts sent to Sanremo by A.P.T. of Palermo. The presence of the flowers did not in any way sacrifice anything, on the contrary it highlighted the sculptures and the brightly coloured bas-reliefs that adorned the sides of the carts themselves. Also original from Sicily are the drags and trappings rich in rattles and plumes. Very rich the costumes of the groups of the "Conca d'Oro" and "Etneo", which constituted the crews, very animated, who gave to the public with generosity oranges and lemons of their land.
The car fitted out by Lindita Biggio for the "Associazione Commercianti" was decorated with strelitzie, peach flowers and "Begum" carnations. The car was hosted by actresses Martha Toren and Veronica Dray, as well as the Queen of Italians in France, Edda De Martin. Another actress on the course, the pretty blonde Brunella Bova, was the guest of the gondola.
The Azienda di Soggiorno di Alassio presented the "Re Sole" wagon, designed by Mario Berrino and decorated by the florist Lino Corte, with the outline of a flock of beautiful girls.
The city of Bordighera was represented by the "Altalena Fiorita" wagon, decorated by Mario Broglia and designed by designer Silvano Guglielmi, with a crew of young and pretty girls.
The well-known veteran of the flowery course, Giuseppe Carbonetto, has made some really successful floats.
The first one was of the E.P.T. of Sassari, with a gigantic nuraghe and a group of figurants with superb Sardinian costumes that woven traditional songs and dances.
The second one, by the Azienda di Soggiorno di Orvieto, designed by architect Alberto Stramaccioni, represented very faithfully the façade of the famous "Duomo" of the Umbrian town, covered with a myriad of flowers. On the chariot richly decorated with pink, red and white carnations, behind the flowery shields representing the city's districts, a group of heralds with sumptuous medieval costumes played the trumpets with their stale voices and together with them there was a group of beautiful and elegant lady lords with rich costumes.
The third wagon of Carbonetto was presented by the E.P.T. of Trento, with a group of gentians and edelweisses decorated with violets and carnations; some young people of the group "Canterini di Trento", with characteristic costumes, accompanied by a lively accordionist, formed the crew.
Two elegant cars were also made by Carbonetto:
"Le Fatine" with two young people in pink and blue satin dresses and many colourful carnations.
"Gaie Campagnole", two pretty girls in matching costumes and a profusion of carnations, violets and daisies.
They also paraded the wagon of the Azienda di Soggiorno di Ventimiglia, which had entrusted the "Scassagoti" group with the task of setting up a subject with a significant allegorical motif inspired by the Ponte S. Luigi border crossing, decorated with 15,000 carnations, not forgetting to include references to their wagons successfully presented at the Battle of the Flowers of the border town. A group of beauties from Ventimiglia cheered it all up.
It was then the turn of the wagon of Salsomaggiore, set up by skilled artists on behalf of the Care Company and the Spa of that city, present at the event with the officials in charge. Pleasant the floral decoration and nice the beautiful and kind girls of the crew.
Then came the cart of the E.P.T of Como: a landau in bloomed by Domenico Ziviani with carnations and daffodils, showing uncommon ability and fine artistic sense, obtaining an impressive result. The wagon hosted the Manzonian "betrothed" and was accompanied by the group "Renzo e Lucia": peasants and musicians who played tunes with reed whirlwinds wearing typical costumes of the period of the events narrated in the book.
He paraded the cart of the Azienda Soggiorno d'Imperia, set up again by Ziviani, reproducing a large carnation in the middle of a meadow of hyacinths and squeezers: in the midst of the flowers five pretty girls cheered the scene.
The cart of the Montecatini-Perugia Care Company, also by Domenico Ziviani, reproduced the famous thermal springs dominated by the griffon vulture, the emblem of the city, and hosted some nice young girls as thermal water mixers.
On the cart of the Sestrière, the famous hotel-tower, cloaked in white carnations and squeezing green, showed off. The setting was still by D. Ziviani and among the crew of beautiful girls there was also an authentic ski instructor from the famous winter resort.
Also from Piedmont was the next wagon, the E.P.T. of Cuneo, designed by Publineon and decorated by Giovanni Pesante. Against the background of a turreted castle, a green meadow with a horse of white carnations in the act of jumping an obstacle: an allusion to the Fossano equestrian competition, highlighted by the red costumes of the beautiful amazons of the crew, who threw as many as 500 kg of exquisite "cuneesi" to the spectators. On the sides of the wagon are the flowery coats of arms of the most important towns in the province.
Also the float of the Florence Tourist Board was set up by G. Pesante, with a wealth of carnations and evergreen; on board a cheerful and noisy brigade of musicians and singers.
The wagon of the Sorrento Tourist Board was rich and colourful, designed and prepared by Giuseppe and Lauro Gargiulo. Among the flowers, orange and lemon fruits, the girls of the group "Tarantella Sorrentina" stood out. The mayor of the town of Campania was also present.
The E.P.T. of Genoa presented an anomalous wagon, that is an elegant 18th century sedan-chair, decorated by Ebe Flora di Bestagno who was able to harmonise colours with good taste and admirable skill, obtaining a very effective result much applauded by the spectators. The vehicle, transported by some valets in period costume, hosted a beautiful and elegant young woman who dispensed smiles and flowers to the public; some heralds in Genoa costumes preceded him, who made loud notes spring from their silver trumpets adorned with flags of flowers and was followed by a procession of ladies in sumptuous costumes.
Six cars were then set up again by Bestagno:
"Sinfonia Rosa", in pink carnations and pink tulle, the fluffy dress of the pretty guest.
"La Campagnola", all adorned with bunches of wild flowers and wheat-gilded ears of corn with a very pretty young woman on board.
"Coral carnation fantasy" with a young girl dressed in a dress of the same shade
"Triumph of Strelitzie" which hosted a very smiling elegant young lady.
"Fantasy in red carnations Valentino" with three very pretty young people on board.
"Peach blossoms" with a flirtatious and beautiful girl.
The wagon of the Sanremo Casino was entitled "Rosso e Nero" (Red and Black), designed by Lorenzo Musso and also made by Ebe Flora with red carnations and violets. Two girls and a young man dispensed pounds and chocolate marenghi with their hands.
The exhibition closed on behalf of the Sanremo Hoteliers Association, one of the richest cars for the abundance of carnations and precious strelitzie used by the florist Cesare Cullino. On board two seductive maidens.

As already mentioned, the success of the event, very successful in terms of formula and content, was disturbed by the absolutely unsuitable route to accommodate the overflowing crowd of spectators and by some errors of evaluation and programming by the Organising Committee. A partial excuse must be considered the behaviour, to say the least, uncivilized, of many people from Sanremo and foreigners, who, in order to grab flowers and souvenirs, literally went to the floats, disregarding their own and others' safety, causing the early end of the parade.
We hope that in the next editions we can and will take this experience into account in order to obtain even better results.

News from the "ECO DELLA RIVIERA" of 24.02.1955

Year 1956

Unfortunately, at the beginning of February the Riviera dei Fiori was hit, like the rest of Italy, by a prolonged and violent wave of frost that upset the flower crops, which were seriously damaged or destroyed by more than 75%, with an estimated damage of about 20 billion lire. As a consequence, the market price of flowers skyrocketed and even the wagon fitters found themselves in difficulty, both because of the lack of goods and the high costs.
Despite this, the second edition of Italia in Fiore was regularly scheduled and took place on Sunday 12th February.
As part of the Carnival celebrations, in addition to the flowery course and allegorical masks, other valid initiatives have been promoted. Particular attention has been paid to the luminous decorations. The company Mormile di Minori (Salerno), specialized in big illuminations in Piedigrotta, has been commissioned to provide a sumptuous illumination of the city streets. A particular characteristic is that the motifs of the luminous decorations are in movement, with the technique defined "kinematics". A large panel depicting the Sanremo carnival with moving fountains and at the top the turrets of the casino surrounded by ornamental elements typical of the noisy party was placed at the end of via Asquasciati. At the beginning of the same street, near p.za Colombo, two baroque style fountains 9 metres high have been placed. On the slab of the bus station three large animated luminous paintings depict three famous songs of the Festival, namely "Papaveri e Papere", "Canto nella Valle" and "Il torrente". Other arches and luminous motifs enliven the area of Via Nino Bixio, while the trees on the side of the railway are illuminated with lamps hidden among the branches. Between p.za Bresca and p.za Sardi other fantastic paintings in kinematics give new life to the Marina district.
In addition, on the avenue that runs along the port a joyful amusement park attracts many people even at night with all kinds of entertainment for young and old.

The organizing committee is composed of: Adriano Morosetti (president), Avv. Achille Cajafa, geom. Giovanni Santagostino, Mario Sogliano, cav. Edoardo Morandi, Giovanni Birone, rag. Castagna, geom. Pietro Nanni, Pier Enrico Gavagnin, rag. Aldo Zoli (general secretary), Rinaldo Boscetto (press officer) as well as the technical consultant for flowers and floats Giuseppe Bestagno, the decoration consultant Rino Ceriolo, the decorator Umberto Lattanzi and the craftsman Mario Piras.

A great fear caught the organisers when, at 2 p.m., coinciding with the start of the event, it started snowing, causing a certain amount of fleeing among the spectators who did not want to remain in the open under the snow. Luckily the snowfall stopped at the end of the first lap, allowing the parade to continue on a regular basis.
The floats were accompanied by the characteristic bands: "Canta e Sciuscia" from Sanremo, "Florelia" from Ospedaletti, "Zanzara" from Taggia, and "Tiralogni" from Bordighera; moreover, the folklore group "Etneo" from Catania was present with the beautiful costumes and the famous colourful carts pulled by soaring horses.
The Organizing Committee presented a wagon, designed by Rino Ceriolo, on which a giant puppet represented a revolving lift that seemed to offer everyone a large bunch of strelitzie, thus welcoming the wagon crews and spectators from all over the peninsula to Sanremo.
One of the first floats was the one in Genoa, with a majestic galleon of red carnations, which "sailed" over a sea of white carnations and blue broom.
It was followed by Pisa, which presented a stylised reproduction of the famous leaning tower, covered with white carnations, while the rest of the wagon was decorated with red and white carnations.
Then Ancona with a bragozzo, a vessel characteristic of the Adriatic, which was decorated with strelitzie and yellow, red and pink carnations.
The wagon of the E.P.T. of Cuneo boasted a certain originality, presenting two huge opposing fireplaces decorated with yellow and red carnations, while a giant trout and a chamois were "cooked" on the spit. Some girls dressed as cooks and lifts completed the scene.
Turin was represented by a red bolide on four wheels adorned with pink, yellow and red carnations while the crew consisted of four pretty girls.
Bologna proposed a cart with two white horses in white carnations, the miniature reproduction of the Garisenda tower and the Donkeys, the masks of Dr. Balanzone and Sganapino and a burly cook keeping an eye on a large yellow tortellini. The floral decoration was in red and yellow carnations.
Pesaro had a castle of red and pink carnations populated by lords and noblemen.
The wagon of Salsomaggiore presented the waterfall of a river in white carnations that fell into an amphora and poured between two banks of vermilion carnations: a newlywed couple with their feet immersed in the river alluded to the "miraculous" qualities of the waters of the famous spa that are believed to increase fertility. To tell the truth, the groom was also impersonated by a pretty girl wearing a dinner jacket and bowler hat. A third girl present on the wagon at a certain point was forced to sit "in the water" to hide an embarrassing breaking of her trousers.
Milan had presented a window of the cathedral, in pink, red and amaranth carnations, as well as the spire with the Madonnina accompanied by some beautiful girls in rich Brianza costumes.
Florence was represented by the classic straw hat and the reproduction of the tower of Palazzo Vecchio; decorated with yellow daisies and white carnations.
There were two floats inspired by the "Promessi Sposi" by Manzoni:
Lecco presented the couple Renzo and Lucia on the classic lake boat, with white and pink carnations and peach blossoms.
Como, on the other hand, set up, in a particularly pleasant way, the scene of the meeting between Don Abbondio and the "bravi" set on a lane surrounded by pink carnations and peach blossom branches.
Trieste presented the façade of San Giusto and the city's coat of arms, with red, pink and white carnations. A large border was decorated with red, white and ... green carnations (dyed with aniline) to remember our flag.
Montecatini has reproduced one of the famous thermal water springs, made with peach blossoms arranged in a gush and violets. Three kind hostesses cheered the whole.
Vercelli took part with a wagon, adorned with red and white carnations, on which a large panel and the coat of arms of the municipality; it was accompanied by a large group of participants in characteristic costumes who had on their backs capable baskets containing bags of rice that were distributed to the spectators during the parade.
From Val d'Aosta came a huge grolla, in red and pink carnations, lying on a grassy green: other carnations, white, completed the decoration of the wagon. Remarkable admiration was aroused by the beautiful costumes of the girls of Gressoney, in red cloth, red velvet jacket and large gold filigree cap, and those of Saint Vincent, red and black, and Courmayeur in blue and black.
The wagon set up by the E.P.T. of Imperia, in collaboration with the seven Autonomous Companies of the province, presented a triumph of strelitzie and seven corbeilles connected by ribbons to a large straw basket in which some pretty young girls had taken their seats.
Palermo, representing the whole of Sicily, brought a richly decorated cart from which cedars and oranges were thrown to the spectators. Accompanying the wagon were six typical Sicilian carts with brightly coloured designs, pulled by pawing, ribbed horses and adorned with tinkling rattles; in addition, the folklore group Etneo, distributed on the various vehicles, performed characteristic songs to the sound of guitars and marked by the quartana, bringing a note of joyful folklore to the flowery course.
The Hoteliers' Association presented a splendid landau completely covered with Begum carnations, on which some elegantly dressed young people had taken their places.
The Casino's car with two members of Maria Leonor's ballet on board was much admired, their beauty dazzling and provocative, which transformed the course into a catwalk.
The Organising Committee also had twelve beautiful cars fitted out, among which the one in bloom with tulips stood out in particular, on which a group of pretty young people from San Remo took their seats and battled to the sound of flowers for the entire duration of the parade.
One cannot, of course, ignore, in the review of the event, those who were the real creators of the flower floats: the artisans of the flower.
At the present edition of "Italia in Fiore", the florists Domenico Ziviani, Lindita Biggio, Piero Bernocchi, the Monti sisters, Giuseppe Carbonetto, Gino Barla and Giovanni Pesante offered the contribution of their recognised skills, also the result of many years of experience.
Before concluding this chronicle, the characteristic musical ensembles, all up to the task entrusted to them, deserve a special mention.
The "Canta e Sciuscia" of Sanremo, made up of over seventy elements, has made considerable progress under the guidance of Natale Andreini and was confirmed during the course on Sunday, imposing itself to the attention for the harmony of the complex and for the bright uniforms: the title "Most elegant folk band in Italy" recently acquired in Savona is well deserved. The original stunt of the contrabassoon, which recently rose to the headlines for the "Degoli" case and also became part of the Sanremasca band.
The "Tiralogni" of Bordighera, which takes its name from one of the famous cannons that had the task of defending the citadel of Sant'Ampelio from the frequent incursions of Turkish pirates, was born three years ago and is an excellent complex.
The "Florelia" of Ospedaletti was practically at its baptism of fire, and it can be said that it has passed the test positively; it rose practically from nothing, without any financial help from the Municipality and would need to be equipped with uniforms more suitable for the winter climate.
The "Zanzara" of Taggia, also of recent constitution, has collected a lot of consents for the harmony of the players and for the garish uniforms: it is a complex that will be able to be honoured for a long time.

(News extracted from "L'Eco della Riviera" of Thursday 9th February 1956 and Thursday 16th February 1956).

Year 1957

This year's flowery course is scheduled for Thursday 28 February.
After the experience of "Italia in Fiore", the custom of subjects entrusted to the imagination and creativity of the creators has been resumed.
Aldo Galletti journalist, Domenico Marvaldi for the Azienda Autonoma di Soggiorno e Turismo, Edoardo Morandi for the Hoteliers' Association, Gino Napolitano, town councillor, Mario Sogliano for the Casino and Bruno Tamponi, town councillor.
For the first time the event saw the presence of RAI cameras, which broadcast live the first round of the presentation.
A particular praise to the floriculturists, to whom we must give a great deal of credit for the prosperity of the city, for the quality of the flowers produced, and to the tank owners, who once again demonstrated their incomparable skill and mastery, so much so that some have called the flowery vehicles "travelling greenhouses".
The flowers used were mainly carnations, but there were also strelitzie, lilacs, roses, violets, peach blossoms, broom and other infinite varieties produced on our hills.
The day was characterised by a splendid sun that festively welcomed the thousands of spectators from all over Italy and abroad, who flocked to the irresistible call of the flowering course. Warm and frantic applause accompanied the parade of floats and cars along the course.
The event succeeded perfectly from every point of view, even above the rosiest predictions: the crowd "fought" with blooms with an ardor hitherto unknown, in fact the flowering was particularly intense and lively and the smiling faces of the spectators confirmed their enthusiasm.
Another important component of the success of the flowery course was the remarkable beauty of the young people of Sanremo who equipped the floats and cars, especially the young girls, who added a touch of freshness and gracefulness to the "battle".
The public occupied the reserved spaces on time, paying 1,000 Lire for the stands and 200 Lire for the fence seats, and the parade began on time at 2.30 pm.
A very successful float was "Kon-tiki", the raft that has now become a maritime legend, made, like most of the floats and cars, by Lindita Biggio and the Bernocchi brothers. The raft "sailed" on a sea of over two thousand Fanny carnations, while other thousands of white carnations made up the sail. Three pretty maidens and a young man made up the crew.
The "Galeone Romano", by Lindita Biggio and f.lli Bernocchi, was also much admired: as many as five thousand red carnations had been used just to cover the planking of the boat. Three girls and a young man were wearing costumes that evoked the atmosphere of the Punic wars; it should be noted that a large group of soldiers from the CAR of Imperia and Arma di Taggia had chosen the girls of this wagon as their main target. The costumes had been made by the tailor's shop "Adriana".
The wagon "La Casetta dei Sogni", by Gino Barla and Giovanni Battista Lentisco of Taggia, received unanimous approval: the finesse of the project and the good taste in its realization were the most outstanding elements. The subject, clearly inspired by the song "Casetta in Canadà" (Little House in Canada) launched by the recent Festival, presented a little house with two beautiful girls, a beautiful green lawn, a small pool where some goldfish, one and a carpet of mushrooms were flickering; a pleasant environment where everyone would have enjoyed a peaceful holiday. More than five thousand Tuscan red carnations and snow-white carnations were needed to flourish.
The chariot of the A.A.S.T. of Sanremo was entitled "Oriental Fantasy"; made by Domenico Ziviani and Vanni Pesante, it housed a flock of beautiful maidens, with about ten fans interwoven with thousands of Elvira carnations that made wing to another fan of considerable size: hyacinths and purple tulle mixed to form a scene of a thousand and one nights of unparalleled fluidity. If there had been a prize for gracefulness, this chariot would certainly have won it.
The two cars "Waltzes of Strauss" and "Blue Danube" plunged the public into the "belle époque", recreating, with flowers of all colours, the world of queens and duchesses that populated the operettas of Lehar and Strauss. The girls in the cars, elegantly dressed, helped to recreate the atmosphere of those times.
Other cars, such as "Settecento Romantico", "Serenata" and "Redoute in white and lilac", had an exquisitely romantic tone, compositions of fresh effectiveness and the most favourable comments were heard as they passed. The girls equipping the vehicles threw in equal measure floral bouquets and passionate glances.
The "Provence" car was adorned with flowers recalling the colours of Van Gogh's beloved region and seemed to gain new prominence from the fragrant corollas used to adorn it.
Another car entitled "With You Under the Lantern" featured a beautiful girl who seemed to be waiting for her lover under a lamppost.
A pleasant hint of romance was represented by "The Moon and You", finely decorated, with a couple of lovers holding hands.
The "Primavera" car probably brought good luck to the flowery course, as the beautiful sun was not lacking.
The "Raffaello" car had a palette on display, on which tufts of multicoloured flowers took the place of the usual colours; two smiling maidens completed the picture.
The show of marvellous representations and splendid girls continued with "Sinfonia in rosa", set up by Mariuccia Dogliotti, then with "Riviera Azzurra" and "Sole Mio". When the latter car passed by, a group of spectators, carried away by enthusiasm, even sang the homonymous tune from the Neapolitan repertoire.
A car entitled "Carolina" evoked, with a hint of a flowery cradle and a veil of tulle, the recent happy event that delighted the subjects of Ranieri and Grace in nearby Monaco.
Another common feature with Montecarlo was the "Rouge e Noir" car, fitted out by Lindita Biggio, with reference to the roulette boxes.
On the "Cineserie" car two pretty girls impersonated two perfect Chinese girls surrounded by every variety of flowers.
On board the "Armonie di Colori" car, belonging to the Hoteliers' Association, two beautiful dancers from the "Doris Ballet" group, whose spicy verve and jaunty grace risked tarnishing the artistic image of the car, one of the best at the event.
Here is "Notturno" again, which enticed you to admire the stars in the company of the two smiling young ladies on board the car.
Then followed "Arlecchineide" with two pretty girls in colourful costumes.
Another successful car was "Andalusia de Noche" which recalled the charm and atmosphere of Andalusia also thanks to the two girls in beautiful costumes.
An explosion of colour was represented by "Fireworks" that seemed to honour the two guests of the car.
Then it was the turn of "Little Princess of Tokyo" with two very pretty Japanese "Italians".
The "Wheel of Fortune" wagon had a big wheel with flowers on it, on which a group of cheerful and pretty young girls were raised or lowered in turn.
A large lyre covered with violets was the subject of the wagon "Music and Flowers" with a lively crowd of girls and boys who were having a great time.
The A.T.A. company, which runs the Casino, presented "Landau", with two beautiful girls on board, a blonde and a brunette, wearing elegant costumes inspired by the "bèlle époque".
In full carnivalesque theme was "Flying Carpet", very rich in colours: the carpet was made up of a myriad of evergreens, stuck with painstaking patience, mainly in purple shades, next to which other reds and yellows stood out; on the wagon was a lordly Alì Babà and two attractive beauties dressed in oriental style.
On the "Mexico" wagon stood an enormous cactus surrounded by other brightly coloured flowers. The scene was enlivened by a group of "caballeros" among which a blonde "muchacha" stood out and attracted admiring glances.
The Association of Flower Exporters (A.N.C.E.F.) presented a beautiful wagon on which there was a flowered stork, holding a basket overflowing with the most precious flowers with its beak and instead of wings it had two other large baskets of flowers; on the sides of the wagon there were elegant corbeilles while on the front part there was a large globe, as proof that our flowers are sent all over the world.
On the "Altalena Fiorita" wagon a large group of beautiful girls took turns swinging on a swing made inside a large corbeille, in a jubilation of carnations of various colours.
Then came the "Albero Fiorito" wagon, with a tree made of painted cardboard and peach blossom branches, while all around the wagon was placed a rustic fence and elegant tufts of carnations. Some girls with large hats and dresses inspired by the fashion of the nineteenth century and a young farmer rested in the shade of the plant.
The "Spring on Snow" cart followed, with a slope covered by a white broom carpet and a small group of beautiful young ladies and a young man in ski wear.
One of the most complete realizations was the "Swan", made with white carnations, which pulled a beautiful girl, above a pink shell, into a sea of colourful flowers.
A flowery Mercury with all its symbols stood out on the car of the Trade Association, in the company of some pretty young girls.
The "Soccorso Stradale" wagon, presented by the Club car and made by Ziviani and Pesante with carnations and broom, carried some fake emergency equipment and a bunch of cheerful young people.
The "Queen of Flowers" wagon, presented by a group of floriculturists, was made with beautiful bouquets of red roses topped, in the centre, by a multicoloured butterfly: certainly one of the best from a floral point of view and worthy of praise; three pretty young ladies made up the crew.
At the end of the parade there was unfortunately the usual wild assault on the floats to snatch some "souvenirs", but above all, by groups of youngsters, women and girls were targeted, half choked by handfuls of confetti and sometimes subjected to unwanted attention, so much so that some arrests were made by the police. The two dancers who were on the wagon of the Hotelier's Association arrived at the hotel very frightened, because after the end of the parade a group of shameless people had literally lifted the heavy vehicle to carry it in triumph amid the screams of terror of the two girls: it must be underlined that certain "jokes" are not tolerable even at carnival.

( News extracted from "L'ECO DELLA RIVIERA" of Sunday 03.03.1957 )

Year 1958

In 1958 the formula of the event was "Corso Fiorito d'Eleganza - Sanremo in Fiore", partly recalling the title of the 1939 edition combined with the first, and unfortunately only, "Festopoli Sanremese" and the parade took place on Thursday 13th February.
Twenty-five vehicles among floats and cars took part, on a day brightened by a splendid sun.
The creator of the subjects of the floats was the young Sanremo artist Rino Ceriolo, described by insiders as "a clever boy, full of ideas, imagination and taste, who transformed the flowery course into a picturesque and gentle fairy tale like a Walt Disney cartoon". The most flattering judgement on his work was expressed by the painter Gentilini, of Sanremo origins, who called the course "amazing", while the spectators judged it "the most beautiful course of the post-war period".
In fact, Ceriolo designed floats that provided, in addition to a certain scenic effect, also some moving parts, already capable of facing the public, in contrast to those of the old concept that were much more static, flat and inanimate, anchored to the rectangular structure of the vehicles.
The opportunity to further enhance the course has been pointed out by many people, in fact everyone praised it from the point of view of beauty, magnificence, fantasy, but they also pointed out that unfortunately the city lacks an adequate road that could be a real stage, as it happens in Viareggio and Nice. If this were possible one could think of a course with fifty vehicles, obtaining a world-class event, but unfortunately at the moment Sanremo does not have a suitable venue, so such a project must be shelved.
Another important fact that has characterized this edition of the event concerns the crews of the wagons. After a long selection process, more than one hundred beautiful and serious girls belonging to the best families of Sanremo were chosen; a curious historical recourse was thus made that has united the history of the flowered courses over time: in fact, the girls who took part in the parade were almost all relatives, more or less distant, of the young women who gave life to the very first editions of the courses. At that time, participation in the course was not only a pretext for a few hours' entertainment, but it had a precise value and purpose: that of affirming a precise and defined family, ethical and social condition, since, when the first flowering courses saw the light of day, presenting a carriage with their daughters on it represented a public demonstration of significant economic possibilities and a superior social standing. The car on the "Strada Nuova" at carnival time, represented what implied the stage at the Prince Amedeo theatre throughout the year or the family pew in the most prestigious churches: the affirmation of an enviable condition.
There was a remarkable turnout of spectators who crowded the stands and fences with a presence of over 25,000 spectators, even though the first round was broadcast live by RAI.
The event was attended, as guests of honour, by the actors Lorella De Luca, Ugo Tognazzi, Lauretta Masiero and Silvio Noto, as well as Mr. Pierre Brisson, director and owner of the prestigious Parisian newspaper "Le Figarò".
The floats were decorated with over 60,000 carnations, 29,000 bunches of violets, 135 dozen strelitzie, 90 dozen roses, 400 cyclamens, just to mention the most prized varieties. Moreover, about 150,000 fancy bunches are used for the usual throw between floats and spectators.
At 2.30 p.m. the folkloric bands opened the parade:
"Rumpe e Streppa" by Finalmarina, "Florelia" by Ospedaletti and "Canta e Sciuscia" by Sanremo, to the sound of the humorous dialect song "Vàtte a p più in magàju, putrùn" (i.e. "Vai a prenderti un bidente, poltrone"), composed by maestro Marabotto on verses by Rinaldo Boscetto.
To follow, the wagon "L'Inverno vi offre la Primavera a Sanremo" (Winter offers you Spring in Sanremo), with a large snowman that at the end of the first round opened at the top, bringing out a splendid girl who impersonated Spring.
Then came some cars from local authorities and associations: "Sabrina" from the Trade Association, with a profusion of carnations, a great tuft of strelitzie and three girls in pink dresses;
"Triumph of Carnations" of the Casino, presented a large marigold and violet guitar while the rest of the vehicle was covered with carnations as well as some branches of peach blossom: two very elegant young ladies were on board;
On the "Sirens" wagon stood, next to a big fish and a hippocampus, a beautiful maiden wearing a model of Melvina Noceti: a white silk jersey, garnished with ribbons and crowns of daffodils.
Another wagon, entitled "Battuta di Caccia", was decorated by G. Pesante's Primavera company and featured horses modelled in blue as well as white trumpets, enough to suggest the illusion that they were really chasing some prey, while two elegant riders wore pink blouses and white trousers and were equipped with the inevitable whips.
Then came the "Treasure Island" wagon, with carnations and other exotic flowers; on board two beautiful maidens in pirate costumes and another one with a magnificent white and blue satin costume and a sparkling tiara on her head.
Following the band "La Zanzara" of Taggia, which spread musical notes at breakneck speed, giving everyone a free and joyful rhythm.
On the next chariot "I Fiori di Sanremo" it was not known whether to admire more the multicoloured corollas or the four pretty young ladies who in their black and white costumes dispensed pleasant smiles. With a curious juxtaposition the floral decoration was the work of the Associazione Commercianti di fiori di Milano.
Following the cart "Il Risciò dell'Amore" was instead set up by G. Pesante's Primavera; a big yellow duck pulled a little carriage in the middle of a profusion of flowers of a thousand colours. On the rickshaw there were two young girls wearing Japanese style satin dresses.
Welcomed by enthusiastic cries, the "Primo Amore" wagon, inspired by the homonymous film by Mario Camerini, which had been screened the evening before at the Astra cinema, on the initiative of the Ligurian Press Association. There was a large red heart outlined with branches and flowery garlands and a set of multicoloured flowers. Moreover the crew was made up of interpreters of the film, that is: Lorella De Luca, Carla Gravina, Paola Quattrini, Kristine Kaufmann, Geronimo Meynier, and Marcello Paolini. The six actors responded to the acclamations of the audience, and participated in the "battle" of flowers, but they also had to take care not to lose their balance. At a certain point, to shelter from the crowd they reached the Hotel Centrale, but even there they were joined by numerous autograph hunters.
In the meantime the flowery course continued to offer a very suggestive spectacle.
A great success was reported by the "Goodbye Jersey - The Princess of the Sea" wagon, which was in bloom by the Jersey Flower's Battle Association, the organizing committee of the floral battle of the island of Jersey. For this purpose, a group of about 150 people arrived in Sanremo, including experts and local authorities, as well as 115 baskets of flowers to decorate the wagon and to launch to the public. The subject consisted of a large yellow flowered shell in the centre of which was sitting a beautiful and elegant miss dressed in white, which perhaps represented a pearl, while two other splendid misses with blue tulle dresses and rhinestone crowns were sitting in the front part of the wagon and some fish with flowers of various colours completed the picture.
An interesting stunt that has already given a positive result and could be repeated and developed also in the future years is to dedicate about ten floats to the finalist songs of the Festival.
There was also a beautiful float presented by the Casino, dedicated, as the name suggests, to the "Canzone all'Italiana": a very successful zither formed by the interweaving of two white swans, with large tufts of white, red and pink carnations. Two beautiful maidens, one dressed in red and another in a pink dress, gave a further touch of charm to the scene.
On the chariot "Un Bacio Sulla Bocca" (A Kiss on the Mouth), in bloom by Leo Wilmo Donzella, Tonina Torrielli has worthily performed the task of representing the singers "all'italiana". Next to the famous singer there were two pretty girls with polka dot dresses, one pink and one blue, on a white background, while a flowery swing seemed to be waiting for the lovers mentioned in the song.
Even Arturo Testa did not hesitate to get on a cart: obviously it was "Io Sono il Vento" (I am the Wind), inspired by the song of the same name that he himself brought to second place at the Festival. Two large wings of white feathers that moved at the slightest breath of air, made the significant title of the wagon well.
Another well-known singer who had a good personal success was Natalino Otto, on the chariot inspired by the song "Una Marcia in Fa" which presented an ancient manor house, with a drawbridge, heraldic coats of arms and armigers to defend the castle.
To the amazement of the audience here is an unmanned wagon, but the explanation was very simple: being dedicated to the song "Nessuno".... there were no people on board, only flowers and a beautiful fountain: the decoration was due to Barla and Lentisco di Taggia.
Next came the Sanremo folk band Canta e Sciuscia, with their bright uniforms and extravagant instruments from which lively notes gushed out.
The wagon "Avevamo la Same Age" was very pleasant, with a pretty little house decorated with carnations and violets, while some young boys and girls animated the scene in the front part.
The crowd admired the "Always with You" wagon, which seemed to bring a whiff of Spain, thanks to a large guitar covered with red and white carnations, with a beautiful girl in the middle wearing a yellow low-cut dress, garnished with black lace, Spanish style.
It was then the turn of the Tiralogni di Bordighera band and the cheerful motifs that delighted the spectators.
The chariot dedicated to "Lì per Lì", decorated by Barla and Lentisco, had various elements: a cuckoo clock, a record player with a drawing pin and a large red rose, with a wide use of carnations, tulips and other precious flowers.
It was then the turn of the chariot of the song "Tua", which depicted three daisies, similar to the one depicted on the advertising posters of the flowery course, in the act of playing a mandolin against the background of an almond tree in bloom, under the attentive gaze of three beautiful "gardener" while on the front sat two smiling girls wearing elegant models created by Noceti and beautiful organza hats.
The chariot was followed by a cheerful musical group from Menton who transmitted a real euphoria to the public.
Then came the "Conoscerti" wagon which presented a long scale of white and red carnations with a border that recalled the musical notes: the "scale of success", at the top of which there was a sort of gate adorned with white, red and pink carnations. An elegant and beautiful girl wrapped in a water green model, also from Noceti, seemed to be waiting for the candidates for success.
The last chariot of the festival was the one dedicated to Modugno's song that has just won the Festival, that is "Piove", as confirmed by the large writing in blue and white flowers. It really seemed to rain, thanks to G. B. Trucco's water games, so much so that the young lady on the wagon had worn a lilac mackintosh, but in the background a large rainbow sent a message of hope and optimism. Numerous large tufts of red, white and pink carnations enriched the scene.
The event was a complete success, for the number of participants, for the careful organization, for the presence of great names of cinema and song, but above all for the refinement and the rich decoration of the floats that paraded among the warm applause of the spectators.

(News extracted from "L'ECO DELLA RIVIERA" on Sunday 1st and Thursday 5th February 1959)

Year 1960

Contrary to a well-established tradition, the flowering course was scheduled for Sunday 31st January, a month before the Carnival period, arousing a certain discontent among people who do not like innovations very much, but the objection was rejected considering that the extraordinariness of our floats lies precisely in being able to adorn themselves with the richness of the flowers produced by the floriculturists of the Riviera, which bloom during the most rigid period of the year when elsewhere nature is still in full hibernation, so this year the contrast would have been even greater and with it would have further improved the effect.
Speaking of attraction, the organisers decided to take the opportunity of the Song Festival, which this year has reached its tenth year of programming, to combine the flowery kaleidoscope of floats with the memory of the most successful musical tunes; taking this opportunity into account, a programme was launched with seven floats with various subjects and another ten dedicated to the winning songs in each edition of the Festival.
The idea turned out to be a very good one and to have combined the two events, making the end of the singing festival coincide with the beginning of the flowery course, brought considerable advantages for both.
The link proved to be particularly binding especially between Saturday and Sunday, with the urgent need to know the outcome of the voting to know whether the float of the tenth edition would be dedicated to "Romantica" by R. Rascel or to "Libero" by D. Modugno. As soon as they learned the result, the craftsmen had to undergo a "tour de force" to set up the wagon dedicated to the winning song of the tenth edition of the Festival in good time.
The wagons left the bus station, where they were set up, and then passed through Piazza Colombo and Via Matteotti to the Casino and the first stretch of the so-called Imperatrice, where the cameras of RAI, which broadcast the event on Eurovision, had been installed. At the Palazzo Riviera they turned towards the railway station to take Via Roma, walking along it as far as the Zampillo and turning around the aiola to start their return journey.
The public had flocked in large numbers, estimated at over 50,000 people, and distributed along the entire route: the price for access to the grandstand on the mountain side of the so-called Mombello was 2,500 Lire, 500 Lire for the other grandstands and 200 Lire for the barriers. The grandstand on the sea side of c.so Mombello was reserved for guests and authorities.
Only the singers were missing, who stayed in the hotel, perhaps worried about safeguarding their uvulae or for fear of admirers who were too fiery.
A splendid sunshine accompanied the whole day, making the image of the parade even more vivid and making the people of Sanremo and their guests happy. It is a pity that in Italy and in the countries connected to Eurovision there is still no colour television, because viewers could not fully enjoy the show represented by flowers of all species and colours.
There was talk of about one million flowers for the decoration of floats and another three or four hundred thousand for the bunches to be launched to the public: truly record numbers.
An innovation compared to previous editions was the presence of about one hundred young men and women who acted as pairs of young "gardeners": equipped with a wheelbarrow full of bunches of flowers, they had the task of supplying the crews of the floats during the "battle" with the spectators.
Great expectation and interest for the official speaker of the course, the well-known imitator Alighiero Noschese, who commented brilliantly on the various phases of the parade.
The folk band "Canta e Sciuscia" of Sanremo opened the event with warm applause.
The floats were preceded by six beautiful and elegant FIAT spider cars from the Patria car show. On board each car a beautiful girl in a silk costume matching the colour of the car and two "corbeilles" of very selected flowers, from orchids to roses, violets and carnations of the most precious varieties, made by the Florex company of Lorenza Alberti. During the second round the splendid baskets were offered as a gift to the authorities and special guests.
The first wagon was "Sanremo 1960: Island of Happiness", in bloom by Wilma Donzella, with a large "S" crossed by an elegant palm tree and a small boat that recalled the charm of the sea with a blaze of white, red and pink carnations. Two elegant young ladies were on display.
The "Benvenuti a Sanremo", of the Casino, was followed by G. Pesante, with a staircase of white and red carnations against a background of peach blossoms on the cart a pretty young girl accompanied by a "lift" and a jockey.
Very beautiful also "Giardini Fioriti" of the Azienda Autonoma Soggiorno e Turismo, prepared by Lindita Biggio, with a large swallowed arch, many carnations and bouquets of strelitzie: on board three splendid "gardener" sheathed in tight satin costumes.
Then the "L'Inverno a Sanremo" wagon of the hoteliers' association, set up by Ziviani with a profusion of tulips and daisies: three beautiful girls in decidedly spring style dresses smiled at the spectators.
Then came "Poppies and ducks" from the Vivaldi company, which, in a certain sense, anticipated the ten floats dedicated to the winning songs at the Festival, but with good reason, even though it did not meet the required requirements, it could have been among them for the success it had all over the world. The subject presented a little house with a very pretty "peasant girl" and three little "ducks".
Below is the wagon "I Fiori Cantano" by D. Ziviani, with a triumph of strelitzie and two declining palm trees over a piano keyboard and three pretty maidens.
The series of free subject floats was completed by "Miss Fiore", by Lindita Biggio, with a large corolla of pink carnations in the centre of which sat the blonde "miss del fiore", while on the front part of the wagon, among multicoloured carnation cushions, there was her smiling little brown valley.
And here are the floats dedicated to songs:
"Grazie dei Fiori" - 1951, in a flowery basket, Adriana Battistelli showed a couple of puppets: "he" was kneeling in the gesture of a lover offering a bouquet of flowers to his beloved. Two girls with red tunics and hoods acted as crew.
So here is "Vola Colomba" - 1952, set up by the Bernocchi brothers, with three beautiful girls dressed in white and a backdrop of intertwined arches: everything was covered with white, pink and red carnations.
It was the turn of "Viale d'Autunno" - 1953, decorated by the Carristi Group, remarkable for the two large quilted sycamore leaves of marigold, with a couple of figures: she wore a dress with a blue bolero and a long, wide pink skirt, he wore a dark dress, cloak and top hat.
She followed "Tutte le Mamme" (All Mothers) - 1954, in Ghu company's flower with white and pink carnations, she had a large globe, a stork with a long neck holding with its beak a bundle with a baby and on the platform three girls dressed in costumes of different peoples that symbolised mothers from all over the world.
The wagon "Buongiorno Tristezza" - 1955, set up by Battistotti, showed a couple, who remembered Peynet's famous lovers, sitting in front of a tree with two hearts engraved on it and the silhouette of a young man offering his heart to an imaginary woman.
It was then the turn of "Open the Windows" - 1956, decorated by Ziviani, with a sun shining with yellow daisies in front of three windows wide open, from which the smiling faces of two pretty maidens overlooked a carpet of white daisies.
Then there was "Corde della Mia Chitarra" (Strings of My Guitar) - 1957, in bloom by G. Pesante, who took up the not so new idea of daisies playing the mandolin, around a large guitar immersed in an expanse of pink and white carnations, on which there were also two beautiful young girls in very elegant, fluffy dresses.
It was followed by "Nel Blu Dipinto di Blu" - 1958 (known as "Volare"), set up by Barla, with the stunt of a balloon of multicoloured flowers suspended against the background of a large number of polychrome balloons; three "little girls" in checked dresses and long lace-decorated panties made up the crew.
It was the turn of "Piove" - 1959 (popularly known as "Ciao...Ciao Bambina"), also in bloom by Barla, showing an old wagon of white, red and yellow carnations, white rails and marigold sleepers; on the car a girl with an open umbrella and in front of her a young man in a mackintosh, a large traffic light in white and red carnations and a very pretty stationmaster with a regulation dustpan.
The last winner of the Festival just ended: "Romantica" - 1960, decorated and completed in record time by Lindita Biggio, with an elegant baroque style balcony adorned with flowering branches, from which a beautiful blonde girl dressed in a very elegant pink dress overlooked.
Unconditional praise to the organizers, the wagon designer and the fitters who contributed substantially to the success of the flowery course, which is certainly one of the best that have been realized.

(News extracted from "L'ECO DELLA RIVIERA" on Sunday 31 January and Thursday 4 February 1960).