La
Sagra del Tordo
The Feast of the Thrush
On
the last weekend of October the atmosphere is tense. The weekend is filled
with pageantry, history, processions, rivalry and excitement. The four
neighbourhoods of Montalcino close ranks, wear their own colours, and, as
the hours pass and festivities begin, the rivalry and passions of the
citizens reach fever pitch, culminating in a hotly
contested archery tournament on Sunday afternoon.
In
this tournament the ancient archery skills of the Montalcinesi are tested,
and the winning archers bring glory and honour to their neighbourhood.
Thousands
of visitors arrive in Montalcino to witness this passionate festival. If
you would like to be here to share this extraordinary event, booking is
absolutely essential as accommodation is limited and you must be in
Montalcino before the festival begins – or face a several kilometre walk
uphill on the day of the Tournament – because your car will be parked
away down in the valley!
Village
Neighbourhoods
There
are four neighbourhoods of Montalcino. They are called Quartiere, and
their names are: Pianello Travaglio Ruga and
Borghetto. Each Quartiere has its own territory inside the
walls of the village, its own headquarters, its own emblem and flag, its
own colours, and a team of archers.
Saturday
The
Reading of the Proclamation: Saturday dawns, and already the air is filled
with the sound of beating drums. The citizens of Montalcino gather below
the windows of the ancient town hall and, to the sound of the trumpets,
hear the proclamation and the nomination of the archers who will shoot in
the tournament tomorrow.
Archery
Trials are held in the afternoon to determine the firing sequence of the
archers tomorrow, and also to determine the ultimate shooting distance.
The
Dinner for the Archers
Each
Quartiere prepares for a night of feasting and chanting in their
neighbourhood at the traditional dinner to celebrate the tournament and to
cheer the archers to victory. A four course dinner of Montalcinesi cuisine
will be prepared by the Quartiere cooks, and served by the youngsters.
More than two hundred people from each Quartiere will sit down to dinner,
and end the evening with chanting and singing for their archers.
Sunday
An
All Day Medieval Feast
Beginning
early this morning a delicious feast of Wine and Food takes place inside
the Fortress keep. The food is cooked in temporary kitchens the Quartiere
erect inside the fortress for the weekend. The smell of bruschetta,
crostini, grilled polenta, many pasta dishes, roasted meats, soups, steaks
and sausages which are roasted over open braziers, fills the air. The
Feast will go on all day long. Of course, Rosso di Montalcino and Brunello
di Montalcino is sold by the glass. No sense in eating the cuisine of
Montalcino without enjoying the wines as well!
The
Morning Pageant
By mid morning white Tuscan Chianini cattle and the Trescone dancers
gather in Piazza Cavour ready for the procession. Next, more than 100
Montalcino citizens dressed in wonderful 14th century medieval costumes
begin the historic pageant, accompanied by drummers and trumpeters, and
make their way to the Piazza to pay homage and bring gifts from the
bountiful woods to the Lady of the Fortress. The pageant proceeds to the
Church of Sant Egidio for the Benediction.
The
Sagra del Tordo Lunch
A
delicious lunch is offered in each Quartiere, guests of honour being those
who have participated in the morning pageant, including the archers. It is
a celebration of the traditional plates of Montalcino, a time to be among
your neighbourhood friends, and to cheer the archers on to victory.
The
Afternoon Pageant
Everyone
is ready for the main parade of the day. The air is filled with excitement
as the pageant winds its way through the village on the way to the
fortress. It takes more than an hour for the pageant to reach the archery
range, and they pass through the village to the sound of drums and
trumpets, following behind the ancient Standard of Montalcino born high
above their heads.
The
Archery Tournament
The silver trumpets rise and the drums beat as excitement reaches fever
pitch. The archery range is ready, the judges are ready, the pageant has
arrived, and now the archers must test their skills. Two archers from each Quartiere
contest the honour of being the most accurate, bravest archers of
Montalcino. Two archers will bring glory and honour to their
Quartiere.
The
Victory 
The
winning archers and their supporters make their way, chanting and singing,
back to their Quartiere to ring the victory bells.
The
Sagra del Tordo is Over.
Honour has been Claimed.
The excitement of this moving festa features in my book ................
Vanilla
Beans & Brodo
Real
Life in the Hills of Tuscany