Flag Festival

The competition that sees the Town of Alba Flag-wavers and Musicians Group compete against some of Italy’s best flag-waving teams.

The race, which takes place in the central Piazza Risorgimento, is preceded by a parade through the streets of Alba’s historic center.

The Battista Destefanis Flag Festival – Fabrizio Pescarmona Memorial is a show organized on the occasion of the Alba White Truffle Fair.

How it takes place

The three groups in the 2015 edition

This is a real competition regulated and directed by a federally authorized FISB jury. The Federezione Italiana Sbandieratori provides for the participation of three different groups.

The challenge, rich in color, technique and movement, is divided into different types of performances: single, choreographic-synchronized and pairwise.

The flag-wavers of the City of Alba Group appear as a red and white blur; capable of making flags vibrate in the air with such mastery that spectators are left speechless.

An evocative performance, at times moving, that captivates the crowd with the magical art of flag throwing to the rhythm of trumpets and drums.

The festival celebrates the origins of the City of Alba Flag Wavers Group and is dedicated to the memory of Battista Destefanis, the group’s first president, and Fabrizio Pescarmona.

The history of the Flag-Wavers Group of the City of Alba

The Group of Flag-wavers of the City of Alba

The idea that there should also be a flag-waving group in Alba dates back to 1969; when it was noticed that the Palio degli Asini was missing “something” to complete the event.

It was Gigetto Giacosa who first realized that the missing element in the palio parade was the presence of flag-wavers. He soon got in touch with the masters of Asti to learn theArt of Flag-making and pass it on to the young people of Alba.

That same year the group was born. The goal was to bring back the ancient flag games; which were held in the most prestigious ceremonies between the 12th-18th centuries.

The 1970 Palio marked the group’s first official performance.

It was a great success.

A few years later, in 1974, the company officially became the City of Alba Flag-Wavers Group.

The first president was Battista Destefanis.

Since then the Group has grown, taking its spectacular performances around the world.

Today, together with the city’s nine boroughs, it forms the Hundred Towers Joust and is one of the main attractions of the White Truffle Fair.

Photo credit: Severino Marcato – Alba Gazette