Italians are intensely proud of their heritage. If you don’t believe me, pay a visit to any local pizza shop, and I’ll bet you two slices of pepperoni with extra cheese that the walls will be adorned with all sorts of photos, maps and other reminders of the homeland. And why shouldn’t Italians be proud? Italy is awesome (a fact I learned from a series of very brief stays in the country back in my Navy days).
One of the most common ways that Italians show their pride is by wearing or displaying the national colors (red, white and green). National pride might also explain why the similarly colored watermelon is so popular in Italy and why it’s not uncommon to see street vendors selling wedges of watermelon during festivals and other celebrations.
Watermelon also plays a key role in many Italian holidays. During Assumption Day – a major religious holiday observed throughout Italy (and many other nations) – a watermelon feast is held in Venice to help “keep community ties.” In the Italian city of Villa Lagarina, legend has it that when a truckload of watermelon arrived in the 1920s, the townsfolk were astonished by the newfound fruit and placed the bounty in the fountain at the center of town. The tradition continues to this day (see image above) with the “watermelon fountain” being filled each year during the three-day celebration.