August in Montepulciano arrives to the beat of the drums and the rumble of barrels. A whirlwind of festivities define the last weeks of summer in the otherwise quiet town. The eight contradas host a number of dinners, and there are parades and elaborately conceived shows in the evening. The culminating event of the final day is the Bravìo: two men (spingitori) representing each contrada roll an 80-kilo wine barrel up the Corso, around the southern edge of town and into the main square, Piazza Grande. Located at the summit of the historic center, the boundaries of this quintessential Tuscan piazza are formed by a treasure trove of Renaissance architecture―the perfect backdrop for big celebrations and events.

A full day’s-worth of pomp and circumstance precedes the barrel rolling contest. It all begins with a drawing that determines the sequence in which the contradas will appear throughout the day. One by one, each group of representatives ceremoniously files out of the Palzzo Comunale and into the piazza, where their flag throwers and drummers entertain the crowds gathered in the square. Once all of the contradas have emerged from the palace, they assemble before the Cathedral for the blessing; this is followed by a long Mass. After lunch, the eight contradas gather at the bottom of the town before beginning a 1.8-kilometer uphill procession in their full regalia of velvets, brocades, boots and armor. With a stop in each contrada for a flag throwing performance, the journey takes almost three hours (in contrast, the barrel rollers will complete the same course in a mere twenty minutes).

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This year Dick and Sue were asked to be the Prima Coppia―First Couple, for Cagnano―which is adjacent to the one they live in (Voltaia). With all of the intermarrying and resulting mingling of real estate that goes on between the families of the various contradas, it seems that loyalties are not regarded as absolute. If anything, my parents already have special ties to Cagnano―that’s where their favorite restaurant is! In fact, they were returning from dinner there the night they were approached with the request to be Cagnano’s Prima Coppia.

They did a wonderful job―many people commented how beautifully they carried it off. The slideshow (below) documents some of the moments that marked their unforgettable day as the Prima Coppia of Cagnano. Please click ‘Play Slideshow’ to enter the automatic slideshow mode, or click on the first image (or any image) to view it at full size, and then ‘Next’ (at the lower right corner) to continue viewing the full-sized photos one by one.