For over four hundred years, every April, Giulianova has been celebrating the cult of the Madonna dello Splendore. It is famous for the liturgic celebrations and manifestations linked to this cult, in particular the renowned band concerts and the  spectacular commemoration of the horse race through the historical centre.

This event spanning religion and tradition, originates from the apparition of the Virgin Mary on the 22^nd of April of an unknown year (before 1557 it seems), to a local peasant named “Bertoldino”. The legend has it that the civil authorities did not believe the peasant as he came to relate the fact so that a second miracle followed and a miraculous fountain capable of curing all illnesses suddenly sprung up.