FESTA DELLA MONTAGNA - Mountain festival

Come to Malcesine in autumn! Discover Malcesine's traditions and customs at the Mountain Festival.

Sunday, 29 October 2023, Piazza Statuto: the traditional festival at the end of the summer grazing season, when the town celebrates the return of the animals from the high pastures, offering a chance to experience an important slice of Alpine life.

The Festa della Montagna offers a whole host of activities for visitors of all ages. From food stalls to a street market selling local produce, this is the perfect time to try our local delicacies, directly from the producers, from stalls selling Malcesine’s extra-virgin olive oil, cheeses and cured meats from the farms high up on Monte Baldo and Lake Garda wines.

The leading local producers will all be in Malcesine, so do not miss the opportunity to taste the king of Malcesine dishes: carbonera, made with cheese from the farms of Monte Baldo.

For younger visitors, the farm park offers a chance to learn more about local rural life and farming, through a series of educational workshops for children. The staff are on hand to explain how cheese is made, and how crops are grown and harvested.

There are both informative and fun activities, as part of a day celebrating local traditions.
These include a livestock display featuring animals from the local area, dairy cattle, and an exhibition of farming equipment.

The day ends with the traditional “palio della cuccagna” greasy pole contest!The schedule for the festival:

07.30 - Arrival of the animals
10.00 - Street market opens, selling local produce and farming equipment. Games and educational workshops for children.
12.00 - Welcome from local dignitaries and prize-giving ceremony
12.30 - Food stalls open and lunch
14.00 - Farm park, chance for children to meet the animals.
17:00 - End, featuring greasy pole contest