Folclore festival"Gröden in Tracht"

If you’re a fan of traditional dresses and garments as well as Val Gardena customs, you should keep the first Sunday in August free for a day trip to Dolomites Val Gardena. ‘Gröden in Tracht’ (Val Gardena dressed to the nine) takes place in one of the three valley villages on a rotating base every year. This is when the locals dress up in the traditional Val Gardena garb and bring to life the region’s essence.

Keeping traditions alive is a core prerequisite to ensure one identifies with one’s beautiful homeland. The traditional garment in Val Gardena isn’t part of their everyday wardrobe, rather it is only donned for special occasions and celebrations. That doesn’t mean that the locals aren’t proud of what is the region’s most beautiful and famous costume. And so, they don’t miss out on the opportunity to show their countless guests their traditional costume once a year in a very special festive procession. Tourists, many of whom, make the journey specifically for this special occasion.

The festive procession is part of a gigantic celebration. Local bands take to the stage and perform traditional tunes as well as more modern pieces from the region. The performance is accompanied by folk dances which will leave you speechless. The highlight of the celebration is the procession which enchants guests from near and far. Excellent food will also make an appearance during the celebrations. The associations of the village which hosts the procession will take care of the provision of regional dishes and beverages sold across different booths.

The encroaching Alps haven’t stopped the Val Gardena costume from gaining popularity and renown all over the world, due to its attention to detail and beauty. The locals wear their traditional costume for religious celebrations and special events to keep traditions alive. One example is weddings: even young couples still wear the traditional costumes on their special day.

Diversity is what makes the Val Gardena costume stand out from the crowds: every part of society could be identified due to differences in their costume. As people grew older and changed their social status, they were given a new costume. On important festive days, all locals would wear the ‘Cneidl and Bagana’, a black hat with a black cape. Similarly to other costumes, even the Val Gardena costume signals whether a woman is married or not by wearing specific headdresses. Even men are differentiated from boys depending on the costume they wear.

“Gröden in Tracht” is a perfect opportunity to get up close and personal to the details of the Val Gardena costume and to talk with the locals about their traditions and customs.