What is the name of the orange-throwing event at the Ivrea Carnival?

The orange-throwing event at the Ivrea Carnival is called the Battle of the Oranges. In Italian, it is known as the Battaglia delle arance, a huge organised food fight held in Ivrea in northern Italy.

Participants divide into teams on foot and teams riding in carts. The cart teams represent the forces of a tyrannical ruler, while the pedestrian throwers symbolise the townspeople resisting him. The popular origin story links the battle to a young woman who defied a tyrant, although historical details behind the legend are uncertain.

The event is not simply a casual fruit fight: it follows formal rules, uses designated teams and occupies a central place in Ivrea’s Carnival. The Asso di Picche, founded in 1947, is the oldest of the nine pedestrian throwing teams. Visitors can participate or watch, but protective clothing and helmets are important because the oranges are thrown with considerable force.