“The Column of Freedom” 2024

Save the Date !

• Thursday-Sunday, April 25-28

The 8^th Argylls Crossing the River Po

On 25 April 1945 the bagpipes of the 1^st and the 8th^th Battalion of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's), included in 8^th Indian Infantry Division, performed in Piazza Duomo in Ferrara. A few hours later, while crossing the Po river, Pipe-Major R. H. Brown was struck by the grandeur of the great river and therefore decided to compose a piece with an emblematic name: The 8th Argylls Crossing the River Po. Today this march is included in the official score book of the regiment, which has its headquarters in Stirling Castle in Scotland.

On the afternoon of Saturday 27th and the morning of Sunday 28th April 2024, in Piazza Duomo in Ferrara, the Pipe Band will perform Askol Ha Brug

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Patronages, Sponsors, Partners

• Municipality of Ferrara
• Municipality of Scarperia
• Municipality of Cortona
• HMV – History Military Vehicles Italy
• Italy War Route
• Askol Ha Brug Pipe Band

The Path & Program

From Thursday 25th to Sunday April 28th

Thursday 25 April – 132 km

• 9:00              Vehicle concentration in Piazza Luca Signorelli in Cortona
• 10:00             Departure from Cortona
• 10:30             Short stop in Castiglion Fiorentino
• 12:00            Arrival in Bibbiena for lunch
• 14:30             Departure from Bibbiena and transit through Poppi
• 17:00            Arrival in Scarperia
• 19:00             Free dinner

Friday 26 April 2024 – 76 km

• 9:30               Vehicle concentration in via Roma
• 10:30             Departure from Scarperia and transit from Giogo Pass
• 11:30             Short stop in Firenzuola
• 12:30            Arrival in Castel del Rio for lunch and visit to the museum
• !6:30             Departure from Castel del Rio
• 18:00           Arrival at the hotels in Imola
• 19:00             Free dinner

Saturday 27 April – 70 km

• 9:30              Departure from Imola
• 10.30             Stop in Argenta
• 11.30              Departure from Argenta
• 1.00pm           Arrival in Ferrara for lunch
• 3.30pm           Departure for the historic center of Ferrara
• 4.30pm          Entry and stop in Ferrara with heavy vehicles and pipe band
• 7.00pm          Free dinner in Ferrara
• 24:00             Overnight stay in accommodation in the city centre

Sunday April, 28th

• 9:00               Meeting in Piazza Trento e Trieste in Ferrara
• 9.30am          Pipe Band performance
• 10.30am        Departure of vehicles and end of the event

The organization reserves the right to change this program at any time without notice.

Regulations: Registration and Procedure

1. To participate in the "La Colonna della Libertà 2024" event, each participant must register by completing the online form. For no reason will non-registered participants be welcomed, in light of current regulations and insurance protection; the organization reserves the right to take measures in this regard. IMPORTANT: fullfill ONE FORM FOR EACH PARTICIPANT even if they are minors or infants. Any compilation errors will be the responsibility of the compiler and not of the organization.
   

   GO TO THE ONLINE REGISTRATION FORM

2. Registration will be confirmed when the completion of the online form is associated with the total payment of the registration fee to be paid in advance of the event.
   Terms of payment:
   (A) Bank Current Account IBAN IT87P0832505473000000064497 in the name of “Gotica Toscana aps” reporting the reason “La Colonna della Libertà 2024”;
   (B) PayPal to the address “finance@goticatoscana.it” always reporting the reason “La Colonna della Libertà 2024” (in this case, we kindly ask you to transfer an amount including the PayPal commission, i.e. costs to be paid by the payer).
   Two emails will be sent, one immediately summarizing the completion of the registration form and a second confirming registration only after payment has been received. We remind you that upon departure an envelope containing the meal vouchers must be collected and presented to the organization at the entrance to the restaurants.
3. The deadline for registration is Sunday 31 March 2024. ATTENTION: after Sunday 7 April 2024 it will no longer be possible to refund the participation fee in the event of cancellation.
4. The event has a limited number of places in participating hotels; we therefore recommend booking in advance. After the aforementioned places have been filled, it will still be possible to register, but participants will have to find accommodation themselves.
5. All military vehicles before 1945 of all nationalities are admitted to the rally. The organization can evaluate on a case-by-case basis for any vehicle exemptions beyond this date.
6. Historical uniform is recommended for participants; those who do not wish to wear the uniform are advised to at least avoid bright colours. The re-enactors will be accepted both in groups and individually and it will be the organization's responsibility to assist in finding places on the vehicles. If there are none or the owner of the vehicle refuses the request for passage, no responsibility will be accepted. Vehicle passengers are informed that it is good practice to contribute to the fuel costs of the vehicle transporting them.
7. The uniforms admitted must be relevant to the historical period. It will not be possible to wear any type of political uniform.
8. All participating vehicles must comply with the Highway Code; The driver and owner will be directly responsible for any damage to people or things caused by the vehicle. The organization declines any responsibility for damage to people or things.
9. It is recommended to have a basic first aid kit and a fire extinguisher appropriate to the size of the historic vehicle on board the vehicles.
10. All participants are required to behave appropriately to the situation; any form of violence, harassment and any other disrespectful behavior that could in any way disturb or compromise the outcome of the event is strictly prohibited; it is absolutely forbidden to point, shout with weapons or perform any gesture that could disturb the success of the event.
11. All collectors and participants can display toy reproduction armaments or real deactivated armaments in compliance with Italian regulations and equipped with the relevant documentation attesting. Following the directives relating to public safety and at the specific request of the Police Headquarters, participants may be asked for certificates of deactivation of all simulacrum weapons, both those on board vehicles and individual ones. However, toy weapons are free from obligations. Simulations of bombs, even with certificates or toy bombs, are absolutely prohibited.
12. During any moment of the demonstration it is strictly forbidden to salute militarily, march, sing, shout, swear or behave disrespectfully towards others.
13. No figure can engage in politics or express judgments on history, local or general; while the vehicles can be shown to explain them to the public.
14. It is strictly forbidden to use blank weapons, fireworks, firecrackers, smoke bombs and anything else that could alarm fire and law enforcement forces. It is also forbidden to light open flames.
15. Minors can participate as long as they are accompanied by their parents or an adult companion with written authorization signed by the parents. We recommend that participants under 18 wear age-appropriate clothing, therefore military clothing is not recommended.
16. During the days of the demonstration it is not permitted to leave the column or take one's own initiatives; during stops, participants are required to respect the time established by the program or which will be communicated in advance.
17. Vehicle drivers are asked to maintain their position in the queue, avoiding dangerous maneuvers and overtaking. It is also recommended to proceed on the right side of the roadway in order to facilitate the passage of escort motorcyclists.
18. No vehicle will be left behind even in the event of a breakdown; the organization provides a rescue truck that can transport vehicles up to 35 quintals.
19. The organization announces that drivers of historic vehicles may be subjected to alcohol testing by the competent authorities.
20. In places where large numbers of people are expected, such as in cities, the event will be subject to recent anti-terrorism measures.
21. The organization reserves the right to remove all those who do not comply with these regulations without prior notice and without refunding the registration fee.
22. For anything not expressly indicated in this regulation, please contact the organization.
23. If the event is canceled due to force majeure, the organization declines all responsibility and will undertake to refund the registration fees.
24. When registering for the event, you accept the following terms and conditions:
    – declaration of acceptance of this regulation;
    – declaration of consent to the publication of images;
    – declaration of acceptance of the privacy policy information;
    – declaration to participate at the risk of the member.

Rates & Discounts

The following participation fees refer to the second weekend 25-28 April 2024.

The members include HMV Italia, Gotica Toscana, Museo Felonica.

• Children: 0-3 years free
• Children aged 4-10 years 50% of the registration fee

In case of cancellation of the event due to force majeure, the registration fee will be refunded (net of transfer costs).

Contacts