One of the most distinctive end-of-summer events in the Pavia area returns to Mede, in the heart of the Lomellina: the Palio d'la Ciaramèla, taking place from 10 to 13 September 2026 for its 42nd edition. Four days of games, costumed parades, historical re-enactments and Ristopalio (the festival's food area), organised by the Circolo Culturale Giuseppe Amisani together with the Pro Loco of Mede, the town council and CiaramèlaTV, bringing back to life for residents and visitors the rural Lomellina world between 1880 and 1930.

Origins: the lippa game, the ten districts and the farming memory of the Lomellina

The Palio was founded in 1980-1981 on the initiative of the “Giuseppe Amisani” Cultural Circle of Mede, then led by professor Giuseppe Masinari, with the aim of safeguarding the community's historical memory and reviving the traditions of the Lomellina's rural civilisation, which risked being lost. Since then, every year around the second Sunday of September, the town has been divided into ten districts (rioni) - J'Angial, Marcanton, San Roc, Cruson, Pasquà, San Banardin, Piasa Giaratta, Roca Bianca, Busch and Gab - which compete for the palio, a banner that ideally represents the farming culture of the area.

At the heart of the challenge is the “ciaramèla”, the dialect name for the lippa game: an ancient courtyard and street game played with just two sticks, one long (the ciaramèla) and one short (the bac), struck at one end to make it jump and sent flying as far as possible. A simple, almost archaic game that, for four days, turns Mede into one great shared story, complete with period costumes, processions and flag-wavers.

The programme of the 42nd edition, 10-13 September 2026

Thursday 10 September - Children's Palio

The event opens at the Ugo Fantelli Stadium, where a refreshment point run by the Lomellina Calcio staff is open from 7:30 pm through the evening. At 8:45 pm comes the Children's Palio, the ciaramèla challenge for the youngest members of the districts. The evening closes with an after-party featuring Ale Morbelli and DJ Marco Ruperto.

Friday 11 September - Ristopalio, Women's Palio and fireworks

The Ristopalio opens at 7:30 pm in Parco Urbano XI Settembre, organised by the Pro Loco of Mede: among the traditional Lomellina dishes on offer, the not-to-be-missed risotto del Lipadù stands out. At 8:45 pm, at the Ugo Fantelli Stadium, the Women's Palio is played, followed by a fireworks display curated by GFG Pyro. On the same day, Castello Sangiuliani opens to the public (until 20 September) the exhibition “1800 a Scuola” (“The 1800s at School”), curated by the Centro Amisani, with the inauguration set for Saturday 12 September at 4:00 pm.

Saturday 12 September - Ristopalio and “Angoli caratteristici d'un tempo”

The Ristopalio continues from 7:30 pm in Parco Urbano XI Settembre. From 8:45 pm, the streets and courtyards of the town come alive with “Angoli caratteristici d'un tempo” (“Characteristic corners of times past”): each district sets up scenes and settings recalling life in the early 1900s, with a CiaramèlaTV info point in Piazza della Repubblica. It's the right evening to hop on the tourist train, tour the districts with the help of the map, and vote for your favourite. Saturday 12 also hosts the closing evening of the Concorso Vetrine (Shop Window Contest).

Sunday 13 September - The parade, the Palio contest and the closing celebration

The main day opens at 9:45 am in Piazza della Repubblica with the presentation of the districts, followed at 10:30 am by Holy Mass in the church of San Marziano and the blessing of the Palio. The Ristopalio in Parco Urbano XI Settembre is open for lunch (12:00 pm) and dinner (7:30 pm). From 2:30 pm, the streets of Mede host the great historical re-enactment of the early 1900s, with a costumed farming procession and vintage carriages. Finally, at the Ugo Fantelli Stadium, the actual Palio contest is held, with the proclamation of the winning district. The celebrations wrap up from 8:00 pm onward with music by Ale Morbelli and DJ Ruperto in the setting of Parco Urbano XI Settembre, on Via Palestro.

New for 2026: FantaPalio and the Shop Window Contest

Once again this year, the FantaPalio returns - the prediction game linked to the event: registration takes place on CiaramèlaTV's Instagram page. The Concorso Vetrine (Shop Window Contest) also continues, involving Mede's shops and businesses in dressing their windows in the style of the 1880-1930 period, in keeping with the spirit of the Palio: a jury selected by Ascom will judge participating businesses on the evening of Saturday 12 September.

A musical prelude: tribute to Lorenzo Perosi

The calendar of celebrations actually opens a few days before the Palio itself. On Sunday 6 September, at 9:00 pm, the Parish Church of San Marziano hosts the musical elevation “Et in terra pax”, marking the seventieth anniversary of the death of Lorenzo Perosi, one of Italy's most important composers of sacred music. A reflective moment that opens, in musical form, the festive days to follow.

What to see in Mede and the Lomellina

Visitors coming to Mede for the Palio can take the opportunity to explore the surrounding area. The town itself is home to the Ugo Fantelli Archaeological and Natural History Collection, housed in Castello Sangiuliani, while within a few kilometres lie some of the Lomellina's most striking destinations: the thousand-year-old baptistery of Lomello, Castello Crivelli, the Abbazia di Acqualunga and the village of Sartirana Lomellina. One more reason to combine folklore, history and rural landscape in a single weekend.

The full programme for the 42nd edition, with all times and locations, remains available on CiaramèlaTV's channels and on the dedicated VisitPavia page, with real-time updates on the Palio's social media.

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