The Giostra dell'Orso (Joust of the Bear) is a historic equestrian event held every July 25 in Pistoia’s Piazza del Duomo for the Feast of Saint James. The city’s four districts—Drago, Cervo Bianco, Leon d’Oro, and Grifone—compete as riders gallop in pairs to strike a bear-shaped target. Dating back to medieval tradition and revived in Piazza del Duomo in 1947, the joust includes 18 rounds, with the winning district awarded the Palio and the top rider named “Cavaliere Speron d’Oro” (Golden Spur Knight).
If you visit the city in the days before the Joust, you can already observe preparations and possibly even race practice sessions in the late afternoon. The tournament begins at 9:30 PM in Piazza del Duomo, but celebrations extend throughout the day. The festivities start at 9:30 a.m., when the *rioni* (districts) gather at the Cathedral. A historical procession then snakes through the city streets from 10:00 a.m., followed by a Mass for Saint James (San Jacopo) at 11:00 a.m. in the Cathedral. In the evening, around 8:00 p.m., district processions march through the city, culminating in a parade at Piazza del Duomo featuring knights and horses taking part in the *Giostra* (Joust).
The Bishop of Pistoia blesses all participants, and the *Giostra* itself kicks off at 9:30 p.m. Four of Pistoia’s historic districts participate in the *Giostra*, each identified by their unique coats of arms and colors: the *Cervo Bianco* (White Stag) district of Porta Lucchese (white and green); the *Drago* (Dragon) district of Porta Carratica (red and green); the *Leon d’Oro* (Golden Lion) district of Porta San Marco (yellow and red); and the *Grifone* (Griffin) district of Porta al Borgo (white and red). Each district fields three knights in the *Giostra*, who compete in pairs to knock down a bear-shaped target with their lances. The competition features 18 rounds, with the district earning the most points declared the winner. Points are allocated as: three points for the first knight to knock down the bear, one point for the second, and none for those who miss.
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