Priscilla Valentino, one of tne two daughters of our local GP is a councillor on the Bagni di Lucca municipal executive, or Giunta. She has responsibilities that include the thermal baths, the environment, renewable energy, transport and local events. It was in this latter role that she decided to organise the games between the different districts of Bagni di Lucca.
The idea, of course, is a very old Italian one. Games, feste and Palios between different parts of the same town have existed in Italy for centuries.
The most famous example is, naturally, the Palio di Siena, in which the different contrade, or districts of Siena, compete against one another in the famous horse race. But there are many other examples throughout Italy: competitions, historical games, tug-of-war contests and all sorts of challenges designed to create a little rivalry between different parts of the same community.
Even locally, similar games had already started in places such as Barga and Fornaci di Barga. So Priscilla decided to divide our Comune into four districts, each with its own colour and emblem: the red Crab, the yellow Trout, the Green Viper and the blue Deer. These represent the following villages in our comune:
Trota (trout)– yellow: Val di Lima, Controneria, Benabbio, Lugliano
Vipera – green: Villa, Corsena and associated areas
Alce (deer or moose) – blue: Fornoli, Cafaggio, Val Fegana
Granchio (crab)– red: Ponte a Serraglio, Granaiola through to Montefegatesi.
We, of course, are in the Crab district. Montefegatesi and the whole valley up here belong to the Red Crab.
They did it for us last year, but we missed it. We were vaguely aware that the games were taking place, but we hadn’t really imagined becoming involved ourselves. This year, however, we thought: no, we can’t miss this one.
So we went along to the meetings. Everything was very nicely organised, and eventually we received the most important thing of all: our T-shirts, complete with a splendid crab on the front. There were also the names of the various sponsors, but naturally the crab was what really mattered.
Then came the opening parade.
We had also raised our own teams. Sandra joined the darts team — she’s a very good shot — while I found myself in the Trivial Pursuit team, which involved answering questions about the local area. Quite appropriate for me, I thought. It was rather like appearing in University Challenge, except that the questions were rather more likely to be about Bagni di Lucca.
Eventually all the different teams assembled in various parts of the centre of town. We gathered at the Giardini Pubblici, and there were quite a few of us. We practised beating the drums, waving the flags and generally making as much noise as possible. Some of us even had glitter applied, and naturally there were photographs.
Then, at about six o’clock, mercifully after the worst of the heat had gone, the parade began.
And what a spectacle it was.
Quite apart from the extraordinary noise produced by the drums, rattles, whistles and everything else we could lay our hands on, red flares were let off for our Crab team. These proved slightly controversial because they produced an enormous amount of smoke, much of which seemed determined to go directly up our nostrils.
Nevertheless, we marched into town to the surprised gaze of people sitting outside the bars.
I think they knew something was happening.
And that was it. We had our parade. We had made our entrance. Now come the time for a big communal supper with the piazza dei forestieri filled with trestle tables and benches.
So now the games can really begin.
It is extraordinary how, with a little noise, a bit of colour, some drums, some friendly rivalry and a few spectacular — if slightly suffocating — flares, you can create such an atmosphere in a small town.
This is the first official edition of these games for Bagni di Lucca, and it has got off to what I would call a really solid, really noisy and really spectacular start.
So I wish all the teams well.
And, of course, may the best team win.
Forza Granchio Rosso!
Here is the programme of events:
Bagni’s Games 2026 — complete programme
Date
Time
Competition
Location
Tuesday 25 August
7:00 pm
Briscola
Bar La Ruota, Fornoli
Wednesday 26 August
7:00 pm
Bowls
Casoli
Thursday 27 August
7:00 pm
Burraco
Sala Rosa, Circolo dei Forestieri
Friday 28 August
6:30 pm
Capture the Flag + Junior
Sports Ground, San Cassiano di Controni
Sack Race + Junior
Sports Ground, San Cassiano di Controni
Darts
Sports Ground, San Cassiano di Controni
Saturday 29 August
3:00 pm
Rafting + Junior
Ponte a Serraglio
Capture the Flag
Ponte a Serraglio
9:00 pm
Trivial Quiz
Teatro Accademico, Bagni di Lucca
Sunday 30 August
3:00 pm
Tug of War
Fornoli
Hay-Bale Race
Fornoli
Football Tennis
Fornoli
Baskin demonstration
Fornoli
6:30 pm
Junior Five-a-Side Football
Fornoli
Tuesday 1 September
—
Table Tennis
Matteo Trenta School Gym, Bagni di Lucca
—
Table Football
Matteo Trenta School Gym, Bagni di Lucca
Wednesday 2 September
7:30 pm
Sand Volleyball
Centro Ippico La Riviera
Thursday 3 September
6:30 pm
TEK + Five-a-Side Football
Don Giampaoli Sports Ground, Fornoli
7:30 pm
Briscola
Bar La Ruota, Fornoli
Friday 4 September
—
No separate competition listed in the official calendar
—
Saturday 5 September
9:00 am
Padel
Tennis & Padel Club, Bagni di Lucca3:00 pm
Graziellata
Bagni di Lucca Villa
3:00 pm
Relay Race
Bagni di Lucca Villa
3:00 pm
100 metres
Bagni di Lucca Villa
—
Prize-giving / Award Ceremony
Bagni di Lucca Villa
***
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