Palio delle Contrade (Bigonzo Race) — Feast of Saint Bartholomew the Apostle and Saint Calepodia

The Bigonzo Race, the heart of the Canale Monterano patronal feast

Every year, towards the end of August, the small village of Canale Monterano, in the Roman Tuscia near Rome (Lazio Region), celebrates its patron saints Saint Bartholomew the Apostle and Saint Calepodia. The most anticipated moment of the festivities is the Bigonzo Race, also known as the Palio delle Contrade, a popular competition that has drawn locals, emigrants, curious visitors, and history enthusiasts to the town since 1968.

A tradition linked to the grape harvest

The race draws inspiration from ancient bacchanals and the harvest festivals that took place at the end of August in ancient Monterano. The modern event was born in 1968 thanks to the initiative of some citizens and the Pro Loco, who wanted to revive these rural roots. The bigonzo is, in fact, the traditional wooden container once used for transporting grapes during the harvest: today it becomes the symbol and absolute protagonist of the challenge between the districts.

The six districts and the race

The Palio involves the six districts of the town: Carraiola, Casenove, Centro, Castagno, Montevirginio, and Stigliano. Each fields a team of four runners plus a reserve. The race is a knockout competition along a 135-meter course on the main street of the village: the bearers must run while carrying the stretcher with the bigonzo, which, when loaded, reaches a weight of about 45 kilos. It requires strength, endurance, and above all, perfect coordination, because the runners are physically linked by the stretcher's poles, and the slightest imbalance can lead to a fall and defeat.

The historical pageant

The race is preceded by an impressive historical pageant that parades through the streets of the center. Over 200 participants — ladies and knights representing the six districts — wear precious high-medieval inspired costumes, made by the skilled local seamstresses. They are accompanied by clarions, flag-waver groups, drummers, cavalry, musicians, and other characters who bring the long parade to life, opened by the reading of the Palio Proclamation.

Ten days of celebration

The Bigonzo Race is the culmination of a program of festivities that spans several days and involves the entire community. Traditional events include the mini palio dedicated to children, the propitiatory dinner with the blessing of the palio, the provaccia (general rehearsal), and, the day after the race, the caratello. There is no shortage of religious celebrations in honor of the patron saints, food stalls, music, and moments of gathering that enliven Piazza del Campo and the village streets.

A village to discover

Attending the Palio delle Contrade is also an opportunity to visit Canale Monterano, included among the most picturesque villages in Lazio, and the nearby area of ancient Monterano with its ruins nestled in the Nature Reserve. The festival, promoted by the Municipality of Canale Monterano together with the Pro Loco, remains one of the most deeply felt identity events in the Roman Tuscia.