Event: Italy

Cavalcata Sarda

When:	1 May 2008 (annual)
Where:	Sassari

The Sardinian Cavalcade in Sassari is both a pageant and a joyful gathering of people from all over Sardinia, showcasing their different traditions. The town livens up with colourful costumes and decorations, horse shows, poetry competitions, chants and traditional dances.

Unlike most Sardinian feasts, the Cavalcata Sarda has no religious connotation. The event has been celebrated since the 20 April 1899, when King Umberto I and Queen Margherita of Savoia visited Sassari to open the King Vittorio Emanuele II monument in the Piazza D'Italia. On that day a spectacular cavalcade took place, with 3000 horsemen from all over the province parading in their traditional costumes.