On 18 May 2025, Sassari will once again host one of the most authentic and distinctive events in Italian folklore: the 74th edition of the Sardinian Ride. This was officially confirmed by the City of Sassari through the call for expressions of interest published on its institutional portal.
A living celebration of identity and beauty
In the heart of Sardinian spring, the city is transformed into a living stage of history and popular pride. The Cavalcata Sarda, established in its current form in 1899 to honor the visit of the kings of Italy, is today a secular festival of the Sardinian people, who celebrate their roots through costumes, music, horses and ancient rituals.
A procession that recounts the centuries
More than two thousand figures in traditional dress from every corner of Sardinia will parade through the streets of the historic center of Sassari, witnessing the variety and cultural richness of the island. The clothes, enriched with precious embroidery and filigree jewelry, represent a unique ethnographic heritage in Italy and Europe.
Horses, dance and memory
In the afternoon, at the racecourse of Sassari, will be staged the show of the pariglie, with acrobatics on horseback among the most spectacular of the Italian equestrian tradition. The day will close in the beautiful Piazza d’Italia, with music, songs and dances that embrace the archaic sounds of launeddas and tenor songs, UNESCO heritage.
Tradition looking ahead
It is not only a celebration of the past: the Sardinian Horse Race is now a symbol of cultural continuity, an opportunity to reflect on what identity means in the contemporary world. A Sardinia that does not disguise itself, but shows itself: proud, alive, essential.
Cover : Unsplash
