Joyce Acciaioli Rudge brought Florence, Italy, to Providence for a nine-day festival in 1999, and now she's bringing some of Rhode Island to Florence for another Splendor of Florence festival. Rudge, a former fashion model who grew up in Providence, was motivated by former Mayor Vincent "Buddy" Cianci to bring the original Renaissance City to the place Cianci liked to call the "Renaissance City."
The festival brought artisans from Florence, artwork, music and food to downtown Providence. A Providence Journal editorial called it "a feast for the senses," and said, "Providence was suffused for nine days with a Florentine glow."
