Palio della Rana

Palio della Rana is a rather unusual event organized during the first weekend after Easter in the Italian town of Fermignano in the Marche region. In 2015 the event is held from the 10th to 12th of April. As a prelude to the main event there is a parade with some 300 people wearing medieval costumes. There is lot of delicious food on offer.

Fermignano, Italy

The main attraction of the Palio della Rana is a frog race. Young men run wheelbarrows down the 170 metres long track that includes via Martiri della Libertà and Piazza Garibaldi. On each wheelbarrow there is a frog. The competitors represent seven districts of the town. According to the competition rules each frog has to be carefully examined before and after the race. If the frog jumps off the wheelbarrow the competitor must stop, pick it up and then continue the race.