At the end of August each year, for two weeks, the Giostra della Rivincita returns to liven up the evenings in Foligno. It is the second of the two races in which the Quintana is divided. The first, La Sfida, is held every year in June.
In Foligno you can find open taverns, exhibitions, games and entertainment that will cheer up the city. And even evenings in the square dedicated to children, theatrical performances, typical tastings …
The carousel
The race at the Campo is exciting and unleashes the enthusiasm of thousands of spectators. It is the moment of challenge between the knights of the 10 districts, in which Foligno is divided, who compete for the Palio. The Giostra della Quintana, without fear of denial, is the most compelling and difficult race that takes place in Italy and for this reason it has been called the Olympics of the Old Regime Games. The horse-rider combination must follow the insidious track at eight of 754 meters, delimited by flags. At the intersection of the two diagonals is the statue representing the God Mars with his right arm outstretched. The rings to be inserted are hung on the hook, under the clenched fist.
But Quintana is not just a race. The evening before the Carousel, the procession winds through the streets of the city center with 800 characters in sumptuous Baroque clothes, strictly faithful to the dictates of fashion and the iconography of the time.
The spectacular emotions
The competitive spirit of the race, the spectacular costumes and the scenography and the enthusiasm of the quintanari give an event that remains in the hearts of those who live it. La Quintana has become the perfect testimonial of Umbria because it encompasses all the excellences of this territory: the cultural, historical, food and wine, architectural and reminiscent of the Region.
(texts taken from the website of the Giostra della Quintana)
