About
Within these medieval fortifications, a goat race is held every year.
According to legend, a statue of a golden goat was found in the northern Italian city of Cavriana inspiring a unique annual festival, the Golden Goat Race. The town actually gets its name from the Italian word for “goat,” capra, and was formerly called Capriana. The Golden Goat Race, or Palio della Capra d’Oro, is held every year on the first Saturday of July. On the day of the race, more than 400 people dress in Renaissance-inspired costumes in honor of the town’s noble Gonzaga family, which had a summer residence nearby. Parade participants represent their district, wearing the colors of their contrada, an unofficial subdivision of an Italian city or region.
