THE HISTORICAL PAGEANT
On Saturday, the day before the race, the festival comes to life with the competition between the flag-wavers and drummers of the eight
contradas. On Saturday morning, the historical pageant begins.
All the characters of the contradas, preceded by the band of the Palio and the flag-wavers from the old castles of Torrita (Guardavalle, Ciliano, Montefollonico and La Fratta) parade through the narrow streets of the old town until, in the early afternoon, they arrive at the ‘Gioco del Pallone’ racetrack the symbolic site of the festival.
At the end of the last parade, the captains of the eight contradas along with the president of the president of the Association ‘Sagra San Giuseppe’, draw for the assignment a donkey to each contrada, the result of which the hopes of the contradas depend. |
