The patron of Montepulciano is Saint John the Beheaded, celebrated on 29 August. In his honour, on the last Sunday of August, the Bravìo delle Botti is run: the contest between the town's eight contrade — Cagnano, Collazzi, Gracciano, Le Coste, Poggiolo, San Donato, Talosa, Voltaia. Today's version was born in 1974, when a parish priest, Don Marcello Del Balio, had the idea of replacing the old horse race with a race of barrels.
In the week before, each contrada opens its dinners with its own local dishes, and Thursday is the turn of the Procession of the Candles. On the morning of the feast the contrade gather in Piazza Grande for the draw of the starting order: the barrels are set out in two rows of four, and then come the flag display and the branding of the barrels. At noon there is Mass, and the bishop blesses the contrade, the pushers and the barrels.
