Alpine Evening and Antigorio Formazza Black Feather Gathering

The Black Feather gathering in Upper Ossola

The Alpine Evening and the Antigorio Formazza Black Feather Gathering is one of the most deeply rooted traditions in the municipality of Premia, in the province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, in the heart of the Piedmontese Upper Ossola. The event brings together the Alpine troops from the Antigorio and Formazza Valleys in a gathering that rotates annually among the villages of these Alpine valleys bordering Switzerland.

Organized by the Premia Alpine Group with the coordination of the Domodossola Section of the National Alpine Association (ANA), the gathering is much more than a simple village festival: it is a moment of remembrance dedicated to the fallen and those who have passed on, as well as a celebration of brotherhood and the passing of Alpine values to new generations.

Two days, two spirits

The event is divided into two distinct and complementary parts. Saturday is dedicated to the convivial Alpine Evening: at the Pasquer sports area, members and supporters gather for an aperitif dinner, while the spirit of the mountains comes alive with screenings of Alpine-themed films and the notes of accordions and choral mountain songs.

Sunday is the more solemn day: the assembly in Piazza Municipio, the parade through the village streets accompanied by a brass band, the tribute at the War Memorial, the Holy Mass, and finally the Alpine lunch that brings all participants together around the table, before the flag-lowering ceremony that officially closes the festival.

Premia and the Antigorio and Formazza Valleys

Nestled among forests, mountain pastures, and peaks, Premia is a gateway to the Formazza Valley and preserves a strong Walser and Alpine identity. Participating in this gathering means discovering an authentic corner of the mountain Piedmont, where Alpine culture is not just a postcard-perfect folklore but a living tradition, made of songs, green uniforms, hats with feathers, and a deep sense of belonging to the community.

• Where: Premia (VB), Upper Ossola, Piedmont
• Who: Alpine groups of the Antigorio and Formazza Valleys, ANA Domodossola Section
• Spirit: memory, tradition, brotherhood, and mountain songs