Castello Tesino Folk Group Performance

A folk heritage that comes to life every summer

The Castello Tesino Folk Group Performance is one of the traditional summer highlights in the municipality of Castello Tesino, in the Province of Trento, nestled in the heart of the Tesino Valley on the left side of the Valsugana. During a peak summer evening at the Giardini di Via Dante, the group of about thirty performers showcases the traditional dances and costumes of the Tesino, passing on a cultural heritage that dates back to the early 20th century.

The history of the Folk Group

Documents and oral testimonies trace the first meetings and rehearsals back to 1927, while the oldest photographic evidence of the group dates to September 1928, in Piazza Molizza in Castello Tesino. Their first public appearance outside the village is documented in 1930, in Piazza San Pietro in Rome, for the wedding of Crown Prince Umberto II. After various ups and downs, the group disbanded in 1940 due to the war, only to resume activity in the post-war period between 1951 and 1955. The final revival took place in 1975, thanks to the dedication of Professor Giuseppe Patti, and since then, the association has never stopped representing the valley in Italy and abroad.

Traditional dances and costumes

The repertoire consists of a series of dances typical of the Tesino Valley, performed by pairs of dancers with deliberately marked movements and steps to emphasize their purely folk origin. A major highlight is the ancient traditional costume, considered one of the most beautiful and characteristic in the Alpine region:

• the men's costume recalls Tyrolean styles;
• the women's costume is entirely original, meticulously detailed, and rich in jewelry and finely worked lace;
• the lower part of the women's dress features the dappiè in red or yellow wool, which in the past indicated the woman's marital status (yellow for married women and widows, red for unmarried women).

A Valsugana Lagorai event

The performance is part of the rich summer calendar of events promoted by the APT Valsugana Lagorai and the Municipality of Castello Tesino, featuring festivals, gatherings of Trentino folk groups, and open-air evenings. It is a precious opportunity to discover the rural and Alpine culture of the Tesino plateau, located at about 1,000 meters above sea level, in a convivial and free setting. The night-time, open-air show is designed for families, fans of folk traditions, and visitors curious to discover the authentic soul of Trentino-Alto Adige.