The Sardinian Cavalcade is an important folkloristic event – the only one of a secular nature in all of Sardinia – which takes place in the city of Sassari, generally on the penultimate Sunday of May. Also called the Feast of Beauty, it involves groups from all over the island, who wear traditional Sardinian costumes parading on foot, on horseback or on the characteristic “traccas”, the chariots decorated with flowers and sumptuous objects.
The event, which then continues in the hippodrome with equestrian races and acrobatic figures, has great cultural significance for Sardinia: in fact, it enhances and promotes the traditions, customs and peculiarities of the island, attracting thousands of visitors every year come together to celebrate the richness and diversity of Sardinian culture.
To get to Sassari, you can take one of the different carriers that disembark on the north-western Sardinian coast at this time of year, a short distance from the destination, departing from the Italian peninsula: the Civitavecchia – Porto Torres ferries take 8 hours of navigation, at night (cabins, armchairs or the cheaper deck passages can be booked). The Genoa – Porto Torres ferries also sail at night, taking about 10 and a half hours; cabins are available, subject to availability, as well as deck passages and armchairs. Once disembarked, to reach the largest municipality in the region, approximately 25 kilometers must be traveled by car, going through via dell’Industria street; there is also the possibility of taking the train (which takes 15 minutes) or the ARST or Logudoro Tours buses (which take about half an hour).
The Feast of Beauty in Sardinia
Parades, traditional costumes, traccas, parries, songs and dances: these are the cultural and folkloristic elements that characterize the Feast of Beauty in Sardinia, the so called Sardinian Cavalcade.
The parade of traditional Sardinian costumes
One of the most fascinating features of the event is the parade of traditional Sardinian costumes. Participants wear the characteristic costume of the place of origin, often enriched by elaborate embroidery and filigree jewels.
Women’s costumes
The women’s costumes featured in the parade are characterized by a great variety of colors and decorations depending on the area of origin in Sardinia. Generally, they consist of a long, full skirt, a white shirt, and a tight, fitted bodice. The accessories, such as shawls, headdresses and jewels, vary according to the area of origin.
The men’s costumes
Men’s costumes generally consist of knickerbockers or Calabrian knickerbockers, a white shirt, a jacket or waistcoat and a typical headdress, such as the Sardinian “berritta” or cap. Even for men, accessories and decorations vary according to the place of origin.
The parade of traccas and chariots
The traccas are the characteristic chariot decorated with flowers and objects of Sardinian everyday life, pulled by oxen or horses. During the parade, traccas from different areas of the island can be admired, each with its own decorations, often accompanied by groups of players and singers.
The parries and the acrobatic figures
One of the most exciting shows of the event is represented by the parries, a typical Sardinian equestrian race in which the riders perform daring acrobatic figures on horseback. The parries take place in the municipal racecourse and are a moment of great emotion and pride for both the riders and the public.
Traditional Sardinian songs and dances
The Sardinian Cavalcade ends with traditional Sardinian songs and dances, which take place in the Piazza d’Italia square. The sounds of launeddas and accordions accompany the folk groups in dances such as the “ballo sardo” or the “passu torrau”, which are performed in a circle or in pairs.
Program of the 72nd edition (2023)
Sassari is ready to welcome tens of thousands of visitors for the 2023 edition of the Cavalcata Sarda, the “Feast of Beauty”, scheduled for June 04, a date for which it was postponed due to adverse weather conditions, with the expected return, in the afternoon, of the parries to the Pinna racecourse. Two thousand people will parade through the streets of the center on Sunday morning, representing 66 associations from all over Sardinia, and over 200 horsemen and amazons.
39 associations and over two hundred musicians and dancers will perform in the review of traditional Sardinian songs and dances. The evening dedicated to the Sardinian excellence of music and entertainment is scheduled for Saturday 03 June.
Waiting for the Cavalcade
The most loved artists in Sardinia gathered in one big concert – show, prelude to the 72nd edition of the Sardinian Cavalcade of Sassari. Saturday 03 June the opening Gala of the highly anticipated island event, called “Sassari in Festa“, conceived and conducted by Giuliano Marongiu with the collaboration of the “Maria Carta” Foundation, will see on the big stage a large cast of protagonists of the regional artistic scene, which will flood Piazza d’Italia square with music and entertainment starting at 18.30.
During the evening the Tazenda, Benito Urgu, Valerio Scanu, winner of the Sanremo Festival, the Collage and their timeless music, the Janas, the Istentales, Maria Luisa Congiu, Maria Giovanna Cherchi, Giuliano Rassu, the Zenias, the Fantafolk, Fabrizio Sanna, the Double Dose, the Niera, Alessandro Pili (Mayor of Scraffingiu) just to name a few. The first large gathering of performers and musicians from the show business, after the pandemic break, will offer the opportunity to listen to all-time hits, preview record news and, above all, to witness unreleased duets and collaborations between the numerous artists involved.
Some expressions of the island’s folklore will participate in the event: the folk groups of Sassari, “Santa Rughe” of Uri and “Orohole” of Ovodda, of the Choirs of Ittireddu and “Amici del Canto Sardo” of Sassari, of the Cantori of Via Majore of Nuoro.
The parade
The parade on Sunday 04 June will start at 9 from Corso Cossiga and will continue in the streets of the center (Garibaldi hemicycle, via Brigata Sassari, via Cagliari, Borgone and Crispo arcades, piazza d’Italia) up to via Roma. The procession includes over two thousand people in traditional dress – bearers of cultures, traditions, belonging, pride and memories – who will parade through the streets of the center with gold, jewels and typical products of the territories, including breads and sweets that are artwork. At the opening of the procession, the carabinieri on horseback and in full uniform and the drummers of the gremi citizens.
Traditional music and dances accompany the event, punctuated by the rituals of Sardinian masks of uncertain origins. About 150 women, in traditional dress and representing all the territories of Sardinia, will complete the passage of the associations involved, immediately after the cadenced and mysterious dance of the Mamuthones and Issohadores of Mamoiada. The parade ends with 18 couples on horseback representing 7 Municipalities and with the impressive procession made up of 194 horses.
Live TV
Live television, for those who cannot physically attend the event, is scheduled on Videolina starting at 9am and until the end of the fashion show. This year, the evening review of 04 June will also be broadcast live on Sardegna 1 and in prime time on Videolina, broadcast on digital terrestrial channel 10, Sky channel 819 and TivùSat, in streaming at the videolina.it web address and in the L’Unione Digital app. The live coverage of the fashion show will also be broadcast on Teleregione Live on digital terrestrial channel 88 and visible on the broadcaster’s website.
The parries
The afternoon is dedicated to the parries, traditional equestrian jousts in which the riders perform spectacular acrobatics on the running horses. The event will be held as usual at the Pinna racecourse. The start is scheduled for 5pm. The groups of Donigala, Logudoresa, Oristano, Santa Giusta, San Quirico, Silì will participate, with amazons and riders, and each will make at least four passages.
Review of songs and dances
The event is accompanied by a review of traditional Sardinian songs and dances, during which the island’s folk groups and artists perform offering a vast musical and choreographic repertoire. The 72nd edition will see 39 dance and singing groups from various locations on the island on the stage in Piazza d’Italia from 6pm. The sounds of the launeddas, the unmistakable voices of the tenor songs, the accordions, the polyphonic choirs and the dance groups will be the protagonists of an evening dedicated to the musical tradition and the colors of the clothes worn by the participants.
Accessibility and useful information
In via Roma in front of the court there will be a station reserved for people with reduced or impaired mobility who will be able to access with a companion. An interpreting service is provided in English (Piazza d’Italia), Spanish (via Roma in front of the Sanna Museum), German (via Roma in front of the Court) and Sardinian (hemicycle Garibaldi). Along the route there will be toilets, ambulances and stations for the distribution of water. The infopoint of the Municipality (Infosassari) will be present in Piazza d’Italia.
The stalls
Also this year the construction of a large market area is planned, between corso Cossiga, via Enrico Costa, via Asproni, viale Mancini, corso Berlinguer, via Manno, via Mazzini and piazza d’Armi. About 230 requests were received for the placement of a stall.
