Palio delle Contrade of Aquilonia

A village Palio in the heart of Alta Irpinia

The Palio delle Contrade of Aquilonia is the most popular summer event in the Municipality of Aquilonia, a small village perched at an altitude of about 750 meters in the Alta Irpinia area, in the province of Avellino, Campania. Every year in August, the town divides into its four districts to face off in a long series of challenges: traditional games, skill tests, sports tournaments, and team competitions open to all ages. This is not a costumed historical re-enactment like the Tuscan Palios, but something more intimate and authentic: a community of just over a thousand inhabitants reclaiming their streets for a week.

The four districts

The village is divided into four districts that give their names to the competing teams. Each district has its own banner, colors, and a group of captains who coordinate the athletes and games:

• San Giovanni
• Belvedere
• Immacolata
• Calvario

The presentation of the banners during the ceremony in the Council Chamber officially opens the challenge and marks the beginning of the competition days.

The Cart Race

The final and most anticipated event is the Cart Race, the symbol of the Aquilonia Palio. These so-called 'carrozze' are handcrafted vehicles made with a wooden body and four ball bearings instead of wheels. They lack engines or any electrical mechanism: they race downhill by gravity and momentum, steered only by the driver's body. It is a timed race that closes the event and draws hundreds of spectators along the route, fueled by district rivalry and pure adrenaline.

Games, tradition, and memory

The Palio program goes far beyond the race. Recent editions have featured over thirty events, including traditional games, sports competitions, skill challenges, and entertainment spread over several days. Alongside the competitive side, there are musical evenings, children's entertainment, and social gatherings that involve the entire village.

The Palio also has a strong dimension of collective memory. The 2025 edition was dedicated to the theme Carbonara, the ancient name of Aquilonia, on the 95th anniversary of the earthquake of July 23, 1930, which razed the old town to the ground. Today, Aquilonia Vecchia is an archaeological park that preserves the urban layout and the ruins of the buildings, while the “Beniamino Tartaglia” Ethnographic Museum houses thousands of objects from the Apennine peasant civilization: two stops that perfectly complement a visit during the Palio.

Organizers

The event is the result of the joint work of local associations:

• Pro Loco Aquilonia “Dante Castucci”
• “Palio delle Contrade” Group
• Youth Forum of Aquilonia
• “Beniamino Tartaglia” Ethnographic Museum Association
• Polisportiva Aquilonia A.S.D.P.S.

The event is supported by the Municipality of Aquilonia, which hosts the official presentation and includes the event in its summer calendar.

Why it's worth attending

Those who arrive in Aquilonia in August find a village that lives outdoors until late at night, with a level of participation that has been lost in larger cities. It is the perfect opportunity to discover Alta Irpinia far from the usual tourist routes: hilly landscapes, fresh mountain air even in the height of summer, honest cuisine made of fresh pasta, local cheeses and cured meats, and the typical hospitality of villages that repopulate for the return of emigrants. Ultimately, the Palio delle Contrade is the moment when this community tells its own story best.