Palio (Horse race) delle Contrade | Buti

The palio takes place every year in January on the Sunday following the 17th, the day of Sant Antonio Abate, protector of animals.

For 61 years Buti’s main folkloric event has centred on a horse race led by jockeys from the seven contrade (districts) who compete in a race whose setting is the access road to the town.

Program 2024:
8.00am Holy Mass of the Horses, Church of S. Giovanni Battista
10.00 am Historical parade starting from via Rio Magno
11.00am Blessing of the horses and investiture of the jockeys in front of the cathedral
2.30pm Palio delle Contrade

The 7 Contrade and their colours: Pievania: blue crossed with white, San Francesco: yellow black, San Nicolao: white black, San Rocco: white red, Ascensione: green black, Case La Croce: red black, San Michele: red green

Together with the Palio of Siena and Asti, it is among the oldest in Italy and chronologically the first palio in Tuscany. A historical costume parade has recently been added to the race.

Like every Palio, the current version of the Palio of the Contrade di Buti, which dates back to 1961 but has roots in horse races dating back to 1848, involves the entire population.

It is advisable not to limit oneself to being a mere spectator of the race, but to follow every detail of an authentic ritual that begins a few days before with dinners in the contrade, useful for warming up the atmosphere among the contradaioli, with a spectacular historical parade that echoes the ancient, noble past among ladies, knights and notables.