Come celebrate the rich history and meaning of La Festa della Donna on March 9th at La Scala. This special evening honors the cultural roots of International Women’s Day, recognizing the strength, achievements, and contributions of women through Italian tradition, storytelling, and community.

The History of La Festa della Donna

The 8th of March is International Women’s Day, known in Italy as La Festa della Donna. It began as a day of memory and protest of the tragic event in New York on March 8th, 1908 when the owner of a textile factory — where all the workers were women — blocked all of the exits to the factory and set the building on fire after the workers went on strike to protest the substandard conditions in which they were forced to work. The 129 factory workers trapped inside, for the most part Italian immigrants, all died.

In Italy, La Festa della Donna was first celebrated in 1922. However, it was only after the end of World War II that it truly became an important holiday. The Union of Italian Women declared that this special date, the 8th of March, should be set aside to celebrate womanhood across the country as women could finally vote and have a political career for the first time in the history of Italy.

Mimosa Blossoms

La Festa della Donna tends to be symbolic, even reminiscent of Mother’s Day as women across the country are gifted yellow mimosa blossoms to recognize women’s economic, political, and social achievements over the last century. Mimosas symbolize female solidarity. They were popularized by Teresa Mattei, who at one point was the national director of the Italian Women Union. Mimosas were chosen to ensure they were accessible to all, even those in more rural and impoverished areas. Originally, it was only men who gave mimosa blossoms, but now women give them to each other as well.

More details and tickets available soon