Alba Donkey Palio

The Donkey Palio, the playful soul of Alba

The Alba Donkey Palio is the quintessential folk festival of the capital of the Langhe, located in the heart of the Province of Cuneo, in Piedmont. Every first Sunday of October, in the arena set up in Piazza Senatore Osvaldo Cagnasso, the city's nine districts compete for the painted banner in a race as highly anticipated as it is unpredictable, where the donkeys often have a mind of their own, providing the audience with laughter and unexpected twists.

A history born to tease Asti

The tradition has its roots in 1932, when the eclectic local artist Pinot Gallizio organized a donkey race as a parody, ironically responding to the much more noble horse Palio of rival Asti. After a hiatus due to the war, the event resumed in the post-war period and was relaunched in the early 1950s as the Giostra delle Cento Torri (Joust of the Hundred Towers), in homage to the medieval towers that made Alba famous. Since 1967, the Palio has been permanently paired with the International Alba White Truffle Fair, of which it represents the most beloved folkloric opening.

The nine competing districts

The city is divided into nine historical districts that animate city life all year round and prepare for the challenge months in advance:

• Borgo dei Brichet, record holder of the golden roll
• Borgo di San Lorenzo
• Borgo della Moretta
• Borgo dei Patin e Tesor
• Borgo delle Rane
• Borgo di Santa Rosalia
• Borgo di Santa Barbara
• Borgo di San Martino
• Borgo del Fumo

The medieval historical pageant

Before the race, an impressive medieval historical pageant winds through the city center in the afternoon, involving over a thousand costumed participants: ladies and knights, flag-wavers, musicians, drummers, and rich re-enactments by the districts. The procession, free and open to all, starts from the city center and reaches the Palio field, transforming Alba into an open-air medieval set. A jury also awards prizes for the best pageant and the best historical re-enactment.

How the race works

The day begins in the morning with the random assignment of donkeys to the districts in Piazza Risorgimento, a lighthearted moment deeply felt by the supporters. In the afternoon, two qualifying heats are held in the arena, followed by the final, at the end of which the winning district is awarded the banner painted for the occasion by an artist. It is an unpredictable race, where luck often counts more than speed.

Truffles, Langhe, and tradition

Experiencing the Donkey Palio means immersing yourself in the autumnal atmosphere of the Langhe, a land of wines and white truffles recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Sunday of the Palio is the day when all of Alba stops and identifies with the colors of its own district: an event that intertwines civic identity, Piedmontese folklore, and the celebration of the precious white truffle.