Italy set to celebrate astronomy feast

ROME, Aug. 8 (UPI) -- Italians in more than 200 cities are set to congregate to recognize the Feast of St. Lawrence, also known as the Night of the Shooting Stars, officials say.

Valentino Valentini, the chairman of one of the groups organizing a St. Lawrence event this weekend, said the so-called Goblets of Stars celebrations will include more than 1 million people throughout Italy, the Italian news agency ANSA said Friday.

"This will be the biggest outdoor party ever," the Wine Cities association chairman said, whose group is working with the Wine Tourism Movement.

In Rome, the 11th year of the annual event will take place on Sunday and Monday as attendees take part in games and share good food and music.

Such events across Italy during the astronomy event are part of the tourism group's ongoing efforts to improve wine-based tourism in the country, ANSA said.

The news agency said the group has already instituted monthly events called Saturday on Wine to meet this goal, along with a fall Welcome Harvest dedicated to the wine-making process.