Sunday, the 16^th of June 2019: the sun shines high on the Laguna Nord in Cavallino-Treporti and everything is ready. The Pro Loco stand welcomes us with the smell of the seafood specialties that accompanies us to the riverside. There we find many people: there are a lot of tourists who came attracted by the peculiarity of the event, others instead are inhabitants of the village, who came to support their friends competing for their favourite quarter. Everyone gathered to attend the long-awaited event: the 20^th edition of Palio Remiero.

On board their colourful “caorline” (the traditional boats), the “contradaioli” are excited and full of energy. After the technical tests, the race starts: an exciting rowing challenge that involves the inhabitants of each “contrada” (quarter). Their uniforms’ bright colours combined with the typical dialect of the lagoon bring happiness and we spend some time holding our breath, fascinated by the show of tradition and sport in front of us.

But where does this historical tradition come from?

The Palio recalls the ancient habit of the farmers in Cavallino – Treporti who, leaving from these canals with vegetables to sell, crossed the lagoon to reach Venice and its fruit and vegetable markets. This routine took place every day at dawn through the technique of the “voga alla veneta” (Venetian rowing): this is an ancient custom that allowed to move easily on flat boats, which were particularly suitable for the sandy and low bottoms of the lagoon.

The race ends and the winner quarter, the green caorlina of Punta Sabbioni, receives the Palio d’Arte as a prize. It is a standard realised every year by a different artist. This year the prize is a mixed-technique painting representing two flamingos, the typical animals of Lio Piccolo, probably the most suggestive area of this stretch of the lagoon.

We go, instead, towards our wooden house, aware that we have attended to an unusual and peculiar event, that will remain in our memories for a long time.

If you have never seen it, our suggestion is to participate to the next edition: it will certainly be a pleasant and “cultural” experience!

Translation into English by Noemi Bressan