The Palio of Ostia Antica 2023

The event, born in the early 2000s on the initiative of the teachers and parents of a school institute as a parade of middle school children in Renaissance-style costumes, accompanied by figures dressed as jesters, jugglers and stilt walkers, has grown year after year. transformed into a real historical event thanks to which the new generations come into contact with their own cultural and artistic heritage.

In fact, the event, reconstructed between history and imagination, represents an important opportunity for the valorization of the cultural heritage of Ostia Antica and for the development of cultural tourism that recalls habits, customs and traditions of the period of Pope Julius II della Rovere.

This year 2023 the "Autumn Palio" takes place on Saturday 30 September and Sunday 1 October. The event includes the historical market, musical shows, street artists, flag-wavers and, on the afternoon of October 1st, the historical procession which, starting from the village of Ostia Antica, winds through Via dei Romagnoli, Piazza Umberto I, Piazza Gregoriopoli.

Subsequently, the Knight's Tournament between the districts awards the winning district the coveted prize: "the PALIO 2023". The citizens of the neighborhoods of Ostia Antica as well as the entrepreneurial, commercial and artisanal activities of the Ostiense area participate and contribute to the realization of the PALIO event. The Palio of Ostia Antica is among the "Permanent Events" of the X Municipality of Rome Capital and is sponsored free of charge by the same institution.

PROGRAM OF THE EVENT:

The event takes place on Saturday 30 September and Sunday 1 October 2023. Over the two days, the planned events are shown below.

1- Historical Market of the Palio: over the two days, in the areas of Piazza Umberto I and Piazza Gregoriopoli, from 10 am to 7 pm, there will be exhibition stands of the districts of the Palio and historical stands with illustrations and examples of the processing of ancient crafts.

2- Event Entertainment: during the two days, from 10am to 7pm, the event areas will be animated by the random presence of figures in Renaissance costume and street artists. You will be able to attend the shows of the magician “Habakkuk” and the Renaissance dances of the “La Corte del Falco” group. In the mornings, from 10 to 12, the mini-guides of the Fanelli school. will illustrate to visitors: Borgo, Riario room, Castle of Julius II. On Saturday, in the Borgo, at 4 pm, the ceremony of pairing the horse-rider pairs to the Contrade will take place, for the dispute of the chivalric tournament, which will award the "Palio 2023" to the winning district.

3- On the evening of Saturday 30th, in the village of Ostia Antica, in the Riario room, at 9 pm, there will be a choral concert with Renaissance arias.

4- Historical Procession: on Sunday 1st October, starting from Viale degli Scavi, at 3.15pm, the historical procession of the participants of the Palio in Renaissance dress will take place in Viale dei Romagnoli. The procession will be enriched by flag-wavers from the districts of Cori. During the route, the procession will stop in front of the position of the "Pope" Julius II, in whose presence the ceremony of "delivery of the Pastoral" will take place from the newly elected Julius II to the new bishop of Ostia. Furthermore, each district will offer its own homage to Julius II. The historical procession, with figures and flag-wavers, will continue along Viale dei Romagnoli and end in the Borgo, in Piazza della Rocca with the final performance of the flag-wavers.

5- Knightly Tournament: Following, after the historical procession, at 3.15 pm, the traditional knightly tournament will be held in a private area, in the Rome riding stables in via di Piana Bella 30. The qualified and prepared "horse-rider" pairs, assigned the day before, by draw, to the Contrade, respecting the internal regulations of the tournament and the chivalric rules of the contest, will compete for victory in three heats. The winner of the Tournament will bring the coveted trophy to the associated district: "IL PALIO 2023".

6- Lottery: Finally, in the evening at 9.30 pm, at the Al Bajniero restaurant, in via Felice Caronni, in Ostia Antica, there will be a drawing of the winning tickets for the Palio 2023 lottery.

Photo credits: courtesy of Roberto Berretini