Bravìo delle Botti: here is the program of the 50th year of the event

The 50th edition of the Bravìo delle Botti was unveiled in the entrance hall of the Palazzo Comunale in Montepulciano. A special edition that with its appointments and events wants to retrace half a century of one of the most important historical events in Tuscany; there will be many moments in which the public will be moved and rejoice for a celebration that first of all means community and aggregation. It starts on Saturday 17 August with the Proclamation of the Gonfaloniere.

The wait is over, with a presentation open to the public, organized in the entrance hall of the Palazzo Comunale in Montepulciano, the program of the 50th year of the Bravìo delle Botti was unveiled. In a crowded and colorful hall of the eight districts of Poliziano, the mayor of Montepulciano Michele Angiolini, the councilor delegated to the Bravìo Gianluca Fè and the director Irene Bettollini, assisted by the journalist, and historical voice of the Bravìo delle Botti, Diego Mancuso, presented to the citizens the busy program of events of the week of the Bravìo number 50 that will culminate in the great race scheduled for Sunday 25 August.

The 2024 Bravìo is a highly anticipated one, because in addition to celebrating the 50th anniversary of the event, born in 1974 from an idea by Don Marcello del Balio, it will retrace, thanks to the shows scheduled by the Magistrato delle Contrade di Montepulciano, the history and tradition of one of the most important events in Tuscany.

The program. The official program will start on Saturday 17 August at 9:00 pm from the Colonna del Marzocco with the start of the Historical Procession, followed at 9:30 pm in Piazza Grande by the Proclamation of the Gonfaloniere with the show of the Flag-Wavers and Drummers Group and the show of the Lux theater company “Phoenix – Fire Show” (Single ticket for stands and stalls: €10; free entry for children under 6). Sunday 18 August at 3:30 pm in the Cloister of the Fortezza Medicea in Montepulciano the awards ceremony of the competition “A tavola con il Nobile” will take place, held in collaboration with the Consorzio del Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. From 4:00 pm, the Historical Procession will start from the Colonna del Marzocco, composed of the Flag-Wavers and Drummers Group and the “old glories” of the eight districts, and at 5:00 pm in Piazza Grande the 2024 Bravìo cloth will be presented, followed by the performance of the Flag-Wavers and Drummers Group of the “old glories” of the Bravìo. At 9:00 pm, the first evening of free trials of the pushers of the eight districts will take place, and all the district kitchens will be open to welcome citizens, visitors and tourists.

The program then continues on Monday 19 August at 7:00 pm with the opening of the district kitchens and at 9:00 pm, in the historic center, the second evening of free trials along the race route will take place; Tuesday 20 August continues at 19:00 with the opening of the district kitchens and at 21:00 in the historic center the third evening of free trials will take place along the race route; Wednesday 21 August opening of the district kitchens at 19:00 and at 21:00 in the historic center the fourth evening of free trials will take place.

Thursday 22 August appointment with the magical and evocative Evening of the Sacred Candles, the most solemn day of the entire event. The impressive Historical Procession, composed of the eight districts, will start at 21:00 from the Colonna del Marzocco to arrive in Piazza Grande, around 22:00, in religious silence and illuminated only by candlelight; Square where the ceremony of the offering of the Ceri will take place in honor of the patron saint San Giovanni Decollato in the Church of SS Nome del Gesù. Afterwards, the scene will be all of the Flag-wavers and Drummers Group who with their performance anticipate the show self-produced by the Magistrato delle Contrade curated by Movimento creative Label and Davide Vannuccini (Single ticket for stands and stalls: €15, free entry for children under 6, tickets on sale from August 14).

Last day of free practice Friday August 23 with the opening of the districts at 7:00 pm and at 9:00 pm in the historic center the free practice will take place along the race route, the last opportunity for the pushers to try the route and prepare themselves as best as possible for the race on Sunday August 25.

The week of events will culminate on Sunday August 25, precisely with the day of the big race. The long day will begin at 9:30 in Piazza Grande with the drawing of the starting order of the districts, the performance of the quartets of flag-wavers and drummers and the branding of the barrels. At 12 o’clock Holy Mass in the Church of SS Nome di Gesù in the presence of the authorities and the world of the district, with the offering of candles to San Giovanni Decollato. At 15:30 departure of the historical procession from the Colonna del Marzocco that will wind through the city streets to Piazza Grande. At 18:30 it’s time for the actual race, with the pairs of pushers of the eight