The Palio dei Mussi

In September in the pretty village of Riese Pio X, the Palio dei Mussi is held, commemorating the ascent to Mount Grappa-which took place on August 4, 1901-for the blessing of the statue of the Madonna and the sacellum by the Patriarch of Venice and Cardinal Giuseppe Sarto, who was elected pope with the name Pius X. During the event-which takes place at the same time as the festival of St. Matthew-food stands are set up to taste local cuisine, particularly one of the area's typical products, musso, which is served in various preparations from stew to pasticcio to bigoli al ragù. The most anticipated moment is the palio with the "mussi" race, the exciting donkey race between the townships of Riese Pio X.