On 8 September, at the St. Stefano Cathedral in Prato, the sacred belt (said to belong to the Madonna) will be shown from the external pulpit of the Cathedral.
There will be two showings – at 10.00 and 22.30 approx.
This is probably the most important event in the Prato calendar.
All the pomp and circumstance that you would expect at such a time will be taking place throughout the day: Flag waving, medieval ball games and dancing in various Squares in the city.
There will also be an historical procession which leaves at about 20.30 and winds its way around the Prato streets. The procession itself is lead by a bull-drawn cart carrying the Prato standard. Many will be dressed in clothing reminiscent of the Machiavellian era. There will be animators and tarot-card readers and well as about 12 bagpipers. All in all there will be 22 groups in the procession totaling over 800 people.
At the end of the evening will be a spectacular musical fire show in Carceri Square.
Shops will be open in the evening and on the afternoon of 7th and all day on 8th and 9th there will be a medieval market in S Maria in Castello Square.
At about 23.30 on the evening of 8th there will be an Olympic-style acrobatic display by the “Sonics” group from Bologna in Mercatale Square. The 12 artistes/acrobats will perform the show which they gave at the end of the Winter Olympics in Turin in 2006.