Fiera al Piano, Torrita Biodiversità and Palio dei Somari: a memorable September

Torrita in September is Fiera al Piano, Torrita Biodiversità and a very special edition of the Palio dei Somari

In the third and fourth weekend of September: biodiversity and Palio dei Somari

September brings with it a mild, quiet atmosphere, made of bright colors and shades ranging from red to brown, with nature starting preparations for its winter rest. The dusk of the landscapes will give you the opportunity to discover and participate to new events, immersed in the beauty of the Valdichiana Senese which welcomes autumn in this extraordinary period. Torrita di Siena’s activities focus on nature and traditions, through fairs focused on biodiversity and traditional events, such as the Palio dei Somari

The importance of biodiversity

Inside the Fiera al Piano di Torrita di Siena is proposed an event dedicated to the rediscovery of a lifestyle that respects animal and vegetable varieties, to the knowledge of the species at the center of local agricultural and livestock activities, to the advantages of the consumption of short supply chain foods: all this is Torrita Biodiversità, an event that takes place precisely during the days of the fair, from 18^th to 19^th September 2021, in the “Nilde Iotti” park, which will allow you to meet local producers, experts and scholars in the agri-food sector, ready to immerse themselves with you in the excellence of the Valdichiana Senese area. The Torrita Biodiversity event and the agri-culture festival are an opportunity to enhance biodiversity and the wealth of natural resources, redefine the boundaries of the relationship between man and the environment and thus establish new behaviors and habits, in order to safeguard and fully appreciate the resources and variety of the territory. The goal is therefore to become aware of the choices we make every day and to improve the quality of life through nature and nutrition.

A “contradaiola” tradition in Torrita di Siena: the Palio dei Somari

The Tuscan villages of the Valdichiana Senese are rich in folkloristic events and manifestations of ancient origins, they are famous all over the world for their traditions, customs, history, contrade (namely the name for old districts) and their manifestations. The Palio dei Somari is back in Torrita di Siena, after a two-year break. It is a competition between the Torritesi districts that compete for the palio, that is the cloth. This event offers anyone the opportunity to savor the traditional atmosphere of the Tuscan villages in the Valdichiana Senese, to closely observe the ancient period costumes during the flag-waving and pre-race parades. The Palio dei Somari has been dedicated since 1966 to the figure of St. Joseph and usually takes place on the Sunday following March 19^th, the day in which the saint is celebrated.

This year the event will exceptionally take place on September 25^th and 26^th 2021, in a weekend full of events and curiosities. The participants of each district will parade through the streets of the historic center in an alternative route designed to avoid possible gatherings, thus creating an atmosphere with a historical and artistic flavor. The extras of each faction make up a procession which in total has about 150 members, in a spectacle of sounds and colors. Then there will be the classic competitions between the flag-wavers and drummers of each of the eight districts, which take place every year before the race, as tradition states. The participants will perform for the public in a show cadenced by the rhythm of the drums and the colors of the districts, of which the flags and costumes of each participant in the parade are dyed. Each contrada lives every moment of the Palio with emotion: the event reaches its point of maximum tension in the moments before the race, when the hopes of the spectators and participants gather in a silence that accompany the jockeys and donkeys as they enter the so-called sferisterio, a place adjacent to the walls of the historic center of Torrita di Siena, where the race is held. At the end of the event we suggest you try the typical dishes of local cuisine: do not miss the pici, fresh handmade pasta, with various toppings, such as aglione, Tuscan ragout and crumbs.