FISB National Flag-Wavers and Musicians Championship

The great national flag-waving festival arrives in Oria

In the summer of 2026, Oria, one of the most evocative villages in the province of Brindisi, becomes the Italian capital of flag-waving. From July 17 to 19, the town—known for its Frederick II heritage—hosts the Absolute National Flag-Wavers and Musicians Championships organized by FISB, the Italian Flag-Wavers Federation. It is three days of competition, choreography, and historical music, drawing approximately 1,200 athletes from every corner of the peninsula to the historic center.

For Oria, this is a long-awaited return: the Apulian city hosted the federation's premier event back in 2005 and is now ready to celebrate again after twenty-one years. The bid, presented by the Gruppo Sbandieratori e Musici Città di Oria together with the Municipality, prevailed over competitors thanks to the strength of the organizational project and the historical vocation of a territory that lives all year round in the spirit of the Middle Ages and the court of Frederick II.

Five disciplines for the title of Italy's best group

The championship features the five disciplines that make up the art of flag-waving: solo, pair, small team, large team, and musicians, the latter using drums and clarions to mark every performance. The best groups in the various events compete for the national champion title in a competition that combines athletic discipline, technical precision, and a grand visual spectacle. Starting in 2026, the format is renewed, moving beyond the historical division into Gold, Silver, and Bronze Tenzone in favor of a unified system.

An event in the city of Frederick II

The competitions take place in the heart of Oria, between the central Piazza Lorch and the square in front of the Istituto Antoniano, framed by the old town and the famous Swabian Castle. The event fits naturally into local tradition: Oria has hosted the Historical Procession of Frederick II and the Tournament of the Districts since 1967, and it is from that long experience that the flag-waving groups were born, making the city a national reference point for the discipline today. For the public, it is an opportunity to witness the best of Italian flag-waving for free, outdoors and in the historic center, while discovering the medieval heritage of the town of Oria and the Puglia region.