Padenghe Hosts Ninth Barrel Race, Revival of Historic Lake Garda Event

All set in Padenghe to host the ninth edition of the «Barrel Race» scheduled for tomorrow and Sunday: an awaited and spectacular event that will animate the town’s life for a couple of days.

For the town, this event will be a revival of the first experience, held in 1993: which was the first for Padenghe, but the second in the Lake Garda area. In fact, it was Manerba that «imported» the idea, albeit only in a «trial» manner, from the leading town in this competitive activity: Castiglione Olona in the province of Varese.

That year, precisely 1993, the Palio was awarded to the team of Puegnago, which then consecutively won until 1995. From ’96 to ’99, the victory went to the team of coopers from Polpenazze.

Weekend activities

In Padenghe, this year, besides the barrel race, the figurants from Castiglione Olona will also return, parading through the streets of the historic center on Sunday evening, dressed in their traditional and ancient costumes.

Starting tomorrow, it will also be possible to attend the dress rehearsals along the main streets of the historic center. At 10 pm, in fact, the timed trials for the «starting grid» will take place, to borrow a Formula One term.

Seven municipalities (Manerba, Polpenazze, Moniga, Soiano, Puegnago, San Felice, Padenghe), all part of Valtenesi, will compete for the victory, aiming to secure the right to host the next edition, the tenth.

The Municipality of Padenghe will have the task, honor, and burden this year of organizing the entire event: in fact, the Association of the Municipalities of Valtenesi, which in previous years handled the organizational duties through the Valtenesi Sports Association, is no longer active.

The mayor of Padenghe, Giancarlo Allegri, therefore, armed with good will, decided to delegate the entire organizational task to the very active «G.B. Vighenzi» Sports Club, presided over by Gianni Libardi.

Supporting the sporting volunteers, the Alpine Group and the Valtenesi Sports Association also joined efforts.

At stake, as always, is the banner designed, along with the entire event, by the then nascent «Lions Club Garda Valtenesi» chapter, initially presided over by Cosimo Poretti, and currently led by Alberto Rigoni.

«The message launched back then by the Lions Club Garda Valtenesi – writes Rigoni in his greeting – has been welcomed and implemented punctually in the area where we operate as a club. Among the main aims of the association, in fact, is the important goal of encouraging people who dedicate themselves to service to improve their community. Consequently, with discreet and constant action, the Club has brought its opportunities for meeting and promotion to benefit the local community».