Egna Festival / Neumarktner Kirchtag

The village festival on St. Nicholas Day

The Egna Festival, known in German as the Neumarktner Kirchtag, is the traditional feast of the town of Egna (Neumarkt), located in the province of Bolzano, in the Trentino-Alto Adige region. It is celebrated every year on December 6th, the feast day of St. Nicholas, the patron saint of the parish church and the village. It is the classic South Tyrolean Kirchtag—a festival tied to the church's patron saint—and a fixed appointment that marks the beginning of the Advent season in the southern part of South Tyrol.

The Portici and the historic center in celebration

The heart of the event lies in the historic Portici of Egna, the characteristic hall houses (Saalhäuser) with loggias and bay windows that make the town one of the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy. For the occasion, the historic center comes alive with stalls and a market: exhibitors, artisans, restaurateurs, shops, and local associations transform the streets and arcades into a festive route. South Tyrolean wine producers are also on hand, inviting visitors to taste their wines, alongside local gastronomic specialties served throughout the village.

Tradition, devotion, and conviviality

The Egna Kirchtag combines the religious dimension of the patronal feast with the social and commercial spirit of a village fair. It is an opportunity for the community to gather and for visitors to discover the crafts, local products, and flavors of the South Tyrolean Unterland in a warm, welcoming atmosphere typical of early December. The figure of St. Nicholas, deeply revered in these lands, accompanies the day as per centuries-old Tyrolean tradition.

Egna, a village of ancient origins

Egna boasts ancient origins: founded as a Roman staging post (Endidae) along the Via Claudia Augusta, it retains a medieval layout with the Romanesque church of St. Nicholas and its famous arcades. The area is also renowned for its wines, particularly the Pinot Noir from the hamlet of Mazzon, and for Tyrolean cuisine featuring dumplings, Schlutzkrapfen, and strudel. The Egna Festival is the ideal occasion to experience this heritage on the most significant day for the town.