The first Sunday after March 19 is the day on which  the Palio of the Donkeys is run at Torrita di Siena.

The festival is dedicated to San Giuseppe, the patron saint of carpenters.

For an entire week the center of the town is in festive dress for the celebration which culminates on the Sunday. At 9:00 to a clarion bast, the historical pageant begins.

 The musiciants enter the central the central Piazza from Where the Districts taking part are announced. from this point on, the historic pageant, consisting of 200 persons in coustume, wind their way in a procession through the streets of the town. In the early afternoon the competition takes place.

 At the  same time that the historic pageant reaches the field in which the Palio will be held and which is triumphantly received by the district members on stands, the eight donkeys enter and will be assigned by lot to the district.

At this point the competition comes alive, beginning with the trials. The culminating moment arrives at 4:00 pm when the race begins. The suspense is terrific.

 There are no favorites as everyone knows that donkeys are rather strange animals and are capable of running three circuits of the rack and stopping at a meter from the finishing line: nothing is certain until some donkey has crossed the finishing line. 

source: Sienadove