The Palio dei Lumi is a historic Tuscan football tournament, or costume football, played among the four districts of Pieve Santo Stefano to celebrate the Madonna dei Lumi, the patron saint of the town.
The competition consists of two semifinals, traditionally held on the last Sunday of August, and the final, played on September 8th, the day of the Nativity of Mary and a popular festival in Pieve Santo Stefano since 1631. The winning district is awarded the prize medal each year, and the highest honor is reserved for the Fighters who first collect three medals, earning the coveted Palio dei Lumi. The event is linked to the historical reenactment of the Siege of the Lanzichenecchi at the Castle of Pieve a Santo Stefano, which occurred in 1527.
