Gualdo Tadino (PG) - San Pellegrino (Pg). Although this festival probably dates back to pre-Christian times, in its present form the Maggio di San Pellegrino still ranks among Europe's oldest folk events in that it has been continuing without interruption since the 11th century. Legend has it that on April 30th 1004 two pilgrims stopped here on their way to Rome. Unable to find anywhere to sleep for the night, they decided to take shelter under a bridge, a decision that was to prove fatal on account of torrential rainfalls during the night. The following morning their two bodies were found lying beside their pilgrim's staff of poplar, which was still stuck into the soil and which had miraculously germinated during the night. Ever since, on April 30th each year the town's inhabitants fell a poplar tree and carry it on their shoulders to hoist it up in the main square, where it will remain for the entire month of May.
Info: 075 912172 | 075 918136, 
http://www.sterzetto.it, info@protadino.it.
