Christmas in Roncegno Terme

A community Christmas in Valsugana

Christmas in Roncegno Terme is the series of holiday events organized by the Municipality of Roncegno Terme in the heart of Advent, spanning both the main town and the hamlet of Marter. Known for its historic thermal baths overlooking the Valsugana valley in the province of Trento, the town transforms for a few weeks into a small festive village, where lights, nativity scenes, and wooden stalls mark the countdown to Christmas in an intimate, family-friendly atmosphere.

The stalls of Giardino Semiramis

The heart of the event is the Giardino Semiramis, the green space connected to the thermal park, where stalls serving hot drinks and sweets open on rotation during the weekends. Each stall is run by a different local volunteer group: from the Ciao Colle group to the Local Traditions Committee, the Sci Club Fravort, the Fire Brigade, the Hunters, and the Missionaries. This rotation gives the festival its unique identity: it is not a commercial market, but a community initiative where local associations come together to bring the town to life during the holidays.

Lights, nativity scenes, and folk traditions

The calendar kicks off with the lighting of the Christmas lights and nativity scenes, a symbolic moment that officially begins the Advent season in Roncegno. In the hamlet of Marter, the lighting is accompanied by a holy mass and the music of bagpipers. Among the most cherished events is the Strozegada de Santa Luzia, an ancient custom where children drag noisy objects through the streets on the night of Saint Lucy, following a popular tradition typical of the area.

The final choral concert

The Christmas season concludes with a choral concert in the church of Santa Margherita in Marter, an event that brings together local choirs for a performance of Christmas carols. It is the most intimate moment of the festival, transforming the church into a suggestive setting for the eve of the holidays.

A local event

Christmas in Roncegno Terme was not created as a mass tourist attraction, but as a village festival: it is built year after year by the associations, committees, and families of Roncegno Terme and Marter. For those visiting Valsugana during Advent, it offers the chance to discover an authentic Trentino Christmas, far from the large commercial markets but rich in human warmth and deep-rooted traditions.