La Quintana is an annual Palio event that pits the six sestiere of Ascoli Piceno, a town in the region of Le Marche, against each other for bragging rights and the prized Palio drape. They compete in archery, flag-throwing and more, but it all culminates in the rousing joust, a high-energy beloved horse race, which is preceded by an opulent parade in period costumes by representatives of ...