Golden Fleece Historical Re-enactment

The Golden Fleece, a living memory of Vasto's 18th-century splendor

The Golden Fleece Historical Re-enactment is one of the most iconic and cherished events in Vasto, an elegant city on the Teatina coast in the province of Chieti, Abruzzo. Every year, on a warm August evening, the historic center transforms into an open-air stage where the locals proudly relive a glorious episode of their history, back when the city was a fiefdom of the powerful D'Avalos family.

The re-enacted history

The event commemorates the presentation of the prestigious Order of the Golden Fleece collar—the Empire's highest chivalric honor—to the Roman Prince Fabrizio Colonna by the Marquis of Vasto, Cesare Michelangelo D'Avalos, in the early 18th century. The historical procession meticulously reconstructs the opulence of the Vasto court: ladies, nobles, men-at-arms, and dignitaries welcome the Prince, who makes his entrance in a horse-drawn carriage, leading up to the solemn Collazione ceremony where the coveted collar is bestowed.

The procession and performances

The highlight is the grand historical procession that winds through the heart of the town: from Palazzo d'Avalos and Piazza Lucio Valerio Pudente along Corso De Parma, Via Vittorio Veneto, Corso Italia, and Piazza Rossetti, featuring over a hundred participants in exquisite period costumes. The evening is brought to life by groups of flag-wavers and musicians, knights, fire-eaters, and dance performances. The re-enactment is preceded by days of side events: theatrical shows at the Teatro Gabriele Rossetti, guided tours of Palazzo d'Avalos, exhibitions, art workshops, and tastings.

A community heritage

Founded in 1986 and organized by the Municipality of Vasto in collaboration with the Amici del Toson d'Oro Cultural Association, the event is registered in the Ministry of Culture's National Directory of Historical Re-enactments. Over the years, it has featured well-known figures in the role of Prince Colonna, helping to promote the city's rich historical and architectural heritage. Today, the Golden Fleece is an unmissable appointment of the Abruzzo summer, blending historical memory, culture, and entertainment in one of the most evocative settings on the Adriatic.