Il Palio

MapThe bold towers and churches of Asti reveal its rich cultural past, but perhaps the best reflection of its noble and rustic history, is the celebration of the annual Palio.

The town of Asti’s annual celebration of Il Palio is the culmination of a week of local Sagre or food festivals that at their zenith draw 250,000 people into a town of 70,000 on the Sunday before the great race. Forty-eight local villages set up stands to serve their local specialties in a spectacular feast while a parade of floats depicting ancient crafts and guilds illustrate the traditional ways of doing things.

Il Palio is a bareback horse race dating back to medieval times. In Asti, the race was historically run in homage to its patron saint, San Secondo, or as a celebration of victory in battle. There are twenty entries in the race representing Asti's neighborhoods and outlying villages. The triangular Piazza Alfieri always proves a particularly difficult test, even for the talented jockeys.

Records indicate that Il Palio was initially celebrated in 1275, and was run regularly through 1862. The race was briefly reborn again in 1929 - but lasted only seven years. In 1967, the tradition of Il Palio came enthusiastically to life, once again. Today the race is celebrated annually on the third Sunday of September.

Participants parade the medieval streets of Asti before Il Palio in a colorful and historic display of over 1,000 costumes dating back to the 13th and 14th centuries and recalling the splendor of the Savoy family. All aspects of life in Medieval Asti come to life, including the local favorites, the revered and dynamic flag throwers - Sbandieratori d'Asti.

Since 1990, in tribute to this glorious culinary tradition, Gianni Fassio has celebrated the Gastronomia and style of his ancestors here in San Francisco, with the creation of this restaurant, Palio d'Asti. Since 1999, when he began his partnership with Fassio, chef and now sole proprietor Daniel Scherotter has sought to establish Palio, like Asti, as the place where people come to enjoy food made the old way, with traditional techniques, authentic ingredients and a bit of local flair.

Marco Sassone’s 200 square foot mural of Il Palio, located in the Enoteca della Douja facing Sacramento Street, provides a vivid sense of Il Palio.

Il Palio photo