Palio
Palio is the name given in Italy to an annual athletic contest, very often of a historical character, pitting the neighbourhoods of a town or the hamlets of a comune against each other. Typically, they are fought in costume and commemorate some event or tradition of the Middle Ages and thus often involve horse racing, archery, jousting, crossbow shooting, and similar medieval sports. Once purely a matter of local rivalries, many have now become events that are staged with an eye to visitors and foreign tourists. The Palio di Siena is the only one that has been run without interruption since it started in the 1630s and is definitely the most famous all over the world. Its historical origins are documented since 1239 even though the version seen today was the final evolution of races held from the second half of the 16th century. In 1935, Italian Prime Minister Benito Mussolini sent out an official declaration that only the one of Siena could bring the designation of Palio. All other horse races held in various parts of Italy are actually just modern reenactments. After the Second World War, nevertheless, many other palios arose throughout the various regions of Italy, which could be considered just attempts of imitation of the Palio di Siena. Here is an incomplete list: = Tuscany Palio of Bientina, third Sunday of July Palio of Buti in honor of St. Anthony the Abbot, Palio di Castel del Piano of Castel del Piano, racing on 8 September Palio delle Contrade, in Faella Palio dei Rioni di Castiglion Fiorentino the third Sunday of June Palio of Casole d'Elsa, Second Sunday of July Palio of Piancastagnaio Palio di Fucecchio, at the end of May Palio in Montelaterone Palio in Monticiano Palio di Siena, race is held on 2 July and 16 August Palio della Costa Etrusca in San Vincenzo (suspended) Palio del Valdarno, a Faella, in Pian di Scò Palio in Pian di Scò, on 7 August Palio delle Bandiere e dei Territori in Follonica Palio di San Luca in Impruneta in October Lazio Corsa a vuoto of Ronciglione, a Carnival feast. In August Palio del Tirreno of Maccarese-Fiumicino, not held in 2008. Palio Madama Margarita di Castel Madama, every second Sunday in July Palio dell'Arcata in Acquapendente Palio in Bomarzo Palio del Tributo in Priverno Palio of Tolfa last Sunday in August Palio of Sacrofano, Second Sunday in September Corsa of Formello, on 10 August Palio di San Matteo, on 22 September Corsa al Fantino in Capranica Corsa in Campagnano di Roma Palio of Selci in September Corsa of Monterosi, on 15 September Carosello Storico dei Rioni of Cori, in June and July Pallio della Carriera in Carpineto Romano (RM). Palio delle Quattro Porte – Vallecorsa Lombardy Palio della Valle Olona Palio di Legnano, Last Sunday in May Palio di S.Pietro at Abbiategrasso Palio degli Asini in Premosello Palio of Rho, Second Sunday in October Palio di Avucat at Caponago, second Sunday in September Piedmont Palio di Asti, every third Sunday in September Palio dei Borghi of Fossano, at the end of June Palio storico dei Borghi di Avigliana, at Avigliana, Third Sunday in June Sardinia Palio of Cagliari Palio dei Comuni of Fonni, First Sunday in June Palio dei Comuni of Goceano Palio "Sas Carrelas", at Bono Palio of Sassari Umbria Palio (Giostra) del Giglio at Monteleone d'Orvieto, 16 August Palio di Nera Montoro in September Veneto Palio di Feltre First Sunday in August. Horse race and Archery contest Palio dei 10 Comuni del Montagnanese, at Montagnana, first Sunday in September Palio delle contrade di Monselice Second and Third Sunday in September. Marche Palio dell'Assunta di Fermo, on 15 August Palio of Montegiorgio Palio of Sant'Emidio also called Quintana in Ascoli Piceno Corsa del Drappo in Loreto, on 7 September Contesa della Margutta a Corridonia, early September Palio della miniera di zolfo di Cabernardi, early August Palio dei Castelli in San Severino Marche, early June Emilia-Romagna Palio di Ferrara, Last Sunday in May Palio del Maggio, at Savigno in May Palio delle contrade in San Secondo Parmense Palio di Parma, Palio del Niballo, at Faenza Palio di Giovecca, at Giovecca Palio of Mordano Sicily Palio of Butera Palio of Piazza Armerina, 11 to 13 August Palio dell'Ascensione in Floridia Palio di San Vincenzo, in Acate Basilicata Palio di Sant'Antonio abate in Pignola, on 17 January, a race with Horses, donkeys and mules Abruzzo Palio della Giostra Cavalleresca in Sulmona Last Saturday and Sunday of July Palio della Giostra Cavalleresca dei Borghi più Belli d'Italia – in Sulmona Palio della Giostra Cavalleresca d'Europa – Sulmona Puglia Palio del Viccio of Palo del Colle – held at carnival. = Umbria Giochi de le Porte of Gualdo Tadino Lombardy Corsa cogli Asini of Dairago Palio degli Asini in Bereguardo Palio del Cinghiale, in Cesano Boscone Piedmont Palio degli Asini di Alba in Alba Palio degli Asini di Cocconato in Cocconato Palio degli Asini di Quarto d'Asti in Quarto d'Asti Paglio ragliante di Calliano in Calliano Palio dei Borghi in Venaria Toscana Palio dei Ciuchi of Campagnatico, in September Palio dei Micci of Pozzi, frazione di Seravezza Palio dei Ciuchi of Carmignano, in September Palio dei somari of Bagnolo Palio dei somari of Torrita di Siena Palio dei Somari of Montepulciano Stazione Giostra dei sestrieri, Palio dei Ciuchi of Roccatederighi Palio de' Ciui of Lugnano Palio dei somarelli of Vallerona Campania "Il Palio di Somma Vesuviana", second Sunday in September "Palio del casale", Palio Nazionale degli asini, Camposano "Palio del ciuccio", Cuccaro Vetere. Lazio Palio delle Contrade, in Gonfalone di Arpino. Palio delle Contrade of Corchiano, First Sunday in August Palio delle Contrade of Allumiere Palio di San Ciro at Sora Marche Palio del Somaro in Mercatello sul Metauro Emilia-Romagna Palio di Ferrara Palio di Parma, Palio dei somari of Grizzana Morandi Friuli Palio dei Borghi di Fagagna, second Sunday in September = Tuscany Palio dell'Argentario, in Porto Santo Stefano, 15 August Palio di Calcinaia of Calcinaia Palio di San Ranieri, in Arno and Pisa on 17 June Palio Madonna del Lago of Massaciuccoli, since 1967 Liguria Palio Marinaro di San Pietro, at Genoa, first Sunday of July Palio del Golfo, at La Spezia, first Sunday of August Palio dei Sestieri, in Ventimiglia, second Sunday in August Regata dei Rioni di Noli, in Noli, Second Sunday in September Apulia Palio of Taranto Trentino Palio dell'Oca, in Trento Veneto Regata Storica, in Venice Calabria Palio di San Giorgio, in Reggio Calabria, on 23 April Lazio Palio del mare of Gaeta = Tuscany Palio della balestra in Lucca, on July 12, a crossbow contest Palio in Pescia, an archery contest Disfida con l'Arco in Montopoli in Val d'Arno (Pi), an archery contest Palio del Diotto in Scarperia, on 8 September (one of the games is a knife-throwing) Umbria Palio di San Rufino in Assisi, a crossbow competition Palio dei Terzieri, in August, an archery contest Lazio Palio of Orte, an archery contest Friuli Palio di San Donato, in Cividale del Friuli, last Sunday in August, an archery contest Palio of Cordovado, first Sunday of September, an archery contest with a medieval costume parade Emilia-Romagna Palio di Santa Reparata e della Romagna Toscana, in Terra del Sole, a crossbow contest Veneto Palio della Marciliana, in Chioggia, a crossbow contest. Il Palio Di Siena Official Site Il Palio Di Siena English Site Giostra del Saracino Palio of Asti Palio of Siena Palio of Ferrara Palio dei Rioni, Castiglion Fiorentino Palio Madama Margarita Palio of Legnano Palio della balestra Volterra Certame della Contea di Popoli Palio of San Rufino Palio dei 10 Comuni Ottava di S. Egidio – Palio of archery