Feldthurner Kirchtag (Assumption Day)

The patronal festival of Velturno

The Feldthurner Kirchtag is the patronal feast of the village of Velturno (known in German as Feldthurns), a small municipality in the Isarco Valley in the autonomous province of Bolzano, in the heart of South Tyrol. The Kirchtag—literally "church day"—is a traditional South Tyrolean festival celebrating the saint or feast day to which the parish is dedicated. In Velturno, the parish church is dedicated to Our Lady of the Assumption (Maria Himmelfahrt), whose liturgical feast falls on August 15th, Ferragosto: the village Kirchtag is held annually around this date.

Faith and celebration in one day

The day begins with the religious observance: a solemn Mass and a procession through the village streets, accompanied by the parish choir and the Musikkapelle Feldthurns, the local brass band. It is a deeply felt ritual for the community, renewing the bond between the village and its patron saint. Once the liturgical part concludes, the festival shifts outdoors and changes pace.

Frühschoppen at Velturno Castle

From 11:00 AM, the Musikkapelle Feldthurns invites locals and visitors to the traditional Frühschoppen in the gardens of Velturno Castle (Schloss Velthurns), the stunning Renaissance residence built in 1580 as a summer retreat for the Prince-Bishops of Bressanone and one of the best-preserved in the entire Alpine region. The castle grounds host brass band concerts and musical entertainment, featuring the village's youth groups—the Heihupfer youth band and the Radlseablech ensemble—alongside the main band.

South Tyrolean cuisine and specialties

The gastronomic experience is a highlight: "für Speis und Trank ist gesorgt" (food and drink are provided), as the traditional announcement goes. You will find dishes and specialties of South Tyrolean cuisine, desserts, beer, and wines from the Isarco Valley, all in a convivial atmosphere that brings together families, young people, and summer holidaymakers.

A Kirchtag in the heart of the Isarco Valley

The Feldthurner Kirchtag is one of the many patronal festivals that define the South Tyrolean summer and offers an authentic opportunity to experience the folk traditions of Velturno and the Isarco Valley: the brass music, the liturgical calendar, village hospitality, and the historic backdrop of Velturno Castle make it a cherished appointment for the local community.