Palio Races of 2023: Who’s Running

July 2, 2023 Palio of Provenzano: Who will Run? The following ten contrade will compete in the July, 2023 Palio, in the order in which they were extracted (drawn): Aquila (Eagle) - carried over from 2022 Giraffa (Giraffe) - carried over from 2022 Selva (Forest) - carried over from 2022 Onda (Wave) - carried over … Continue reading Palio Races of 2023: Who’s Running

Palio Races of 2022: Who Ran and Won?

August 16, 2022 Palio of the Assumption Here's an overview of the ten contradas (contrade) that will compete in the August, 2022 Palio, in the order in which they were extracted (drawn). Please see Extraction of the Contrade post for more background on the process): Tartuca (Turtle) - carried over from 2019 Lupa (She-Wolf) - … Continue reading Palio Races of 2022: Who Ran and Won?

The Extraction of the Contrade: How Ten Competitors are Chosen for the Palio

Visitors who are fortunate enough to be in Siena during the days of the Palio (by sheer accident or otherwise) are often unaware of all the preparation well prior to the event. One of the more emotional rituals takes place about six weeks prior to each summer Palio. This is known as the extraction (estrazione) … Continue reading The Extraction of the Contrade: How Ten Competitors are Chosen for the Palio

Why do the Sienese wear neck scarves?

Excerpt adapted in part from my book, Living the Palio. Panther contradaioli (contrada members) wearing their fazzoletti while walking to the Duomo on the day of the Palio The strongest direct symbol of personal contrada identity is the contrada scarf, or fazzoletto, which is typically worn around one’s neck. Today, as in the past, the … Continue reading Why do the Sienese wear neck scarves?

Daily Schedule of Palio Events

The daily events and rituals associated with the Palio are (usually) on a fixed schedule that is predictable from one Palio to the next. A useful overview of the four days of the Palio is found here: Palio Time Schedules. Here is my own version of the typical schedule (below), based on my personal experiences … Continue reading Daily Schedule of Palio Events

Winning the Palio: the Drappellone

Excerpt adapted from my book, Living the Palio. (It's already written, so I'm happy to share it here.) A few traditions are quite different from US sporting events. The only payout for a victorious contrada is a cloth banner known as the drappellone or palio. The word palio actually holds a dual meaning here—for the … Continue reading Winning the Palio: the Drappellone