The link between the Adige River and the zatterieri (rafters) is celebrated every month of June with the Palio delle Zattere (raft race) of Borgo Sacco.
After having loaded a damsel and a bag onboard, the rafters row uninterruptedly to Borgo Sacco – a suburb of Rovereto – upon which they need to unload the cargo and the damsel, and finally clang a bell with their oar.
The winners parade along the river as the crowd applauds, followed by the Zattera Storica (historic raft) similar to the commercial watercraft used in the past.
One more fun fact related to the rafts navigating the Adige: the docking point used to be where Piazza Filzi is located today.
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