Bread, Wine and Little Fish Festival

A festival that smells of the lake and community

Bread, Wine and Little Fish is the most characteristic event in the village of Sant'Alessandro, nestled in the hills of Riva del Garda, in the heart of the Trentino Garda region. Passionately organized by the Pro Loco Sant'Alessandro at the local sports centre, the festival has combined gastronomy, music, and sports for decades during a late-May weekend that marks the beginning of the summer season on the lake.

A tradition spanning over seventy years

The festival's history dates back to 1952, when the first Pro Loco volunteers launched the village celebrations. The ritual that still makes the event unique today is the free distribution of bread and little fish: a custom dating back to 1969, the year the event moved from the main square of Riva to the village of Sant'Alessandro. Since then, the festival has grown to become one of the most heartfelt and anticipated celebrations in the entire Upper Garda area.

The little fish, the absolute star

The little fish—known in the local dialect as small fried lake aole—is the event's gastronomic symbol. Alongside the free distribution, the kitchen serves the traditional lake-style mixed fried fish, grilled trout, and, for the little ones, breaded cutlets with French fries. Everything is accompanied by local wine and a bar service that brings the village evenings to life.

Music, sports, and village life

The two days of the festival alternate between convivial dinners, live concerts, sports exhibitions, and moments dedicated to children. The entire Sant'Alessandro community gathers around the tables set up at the sports centre, with charity initiatives like A dessert for the school supporting local neighbourhood projects. The event thus confirms itself not just as a food festival, but as an opportunity for meeting and celebrating village life.

In the heart of the Trentino Garda region

Set just a few steps from the Riva del Garda lakefront, in the Municipality of Riva del Garda and the Autonomous Province of Trento (Trentino-Alto Adige), the festival offers visitors the chance to discover an authentic tradition far from the usual tourist circuits, at the foot of Monte Brione and its historic fortifications.