Independence Day

Tomorrow, June 2nd, is Italy's Independence Day. As far as I know, it is not celebrated with fireworks or flags or champagne (though I doubt there's any holiday here in which they would exclude alcohol). It is celebrated by the release of any duties for anyone; all shops, offices and schools are closed. 

A little history about this day (what I found on Wikipedia):

Festa della Repubblica (literally Festival of the Republic) is celebrated in Italy on the second of June each year.

The day commemorates the institutional referendum held by universal suffrage in 1946, in which the Italian people were called to the polls to decide on the form of government, following the Second World War and the fall of Fascism. With 12,717,923 votes for a republic and 10,719,284 for the monarchy, the male descendants of the House of Savoy were sent into exile.

To commemorate it, a grand military parade is held in central Rome, presided by the President of the Republic in the role of Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. The Prime Minister and other authorities attend too. Prior to the foundation of the Republic, the Italian national day was the first Sunday in June, anniversary of the granting of the Statuto Albertino.

So, there you go. I am celebrating this lovely day in my own way. Me and some friends are going  outside of the city to a foresty park area at about 10, I am in charge of bringing a few blankets, my guitar, sandwiches, and sunscreen.

It's going to be a blast.