Festival of the Sun and Gnocchi

A Festival for Those Who Know How to Climb

Some festivals don't seek crowds. The Fieste dal Soreli e dai Gnocs — the festival of the sun and gnocchi — is one of them: a small spring rite celebrated every April 25th in Piani di Qua, a location in Val Raccolana, in the municipality of Chiusaforte, at the foot of the Julian Alps. It's not a festival for everyone, say the organizers: it's a celebration for those willing to make the effort to get there, because Piani di Qua can only be reached on foot.

The Rite of the Sun's Return

The heart of the day is the preparation of gnocchi outdoors, handmade on large wooden tables according to ancient tradition, with a few essential ingredients: potatoes, flour, and expert hands. There are no printed menus or shows: the preparation of the gnocchi itself is the festival. It's a gesture that welcomes the return of the sun and the arrival of spring after the long alpine winter, a community rite rooted in the peasant and mountain culture of Carnia and Canal del Ferro.

Effort as Part of the Festival

The "slow arrival," the walk required to reach Piani di Qua, is not an obstacle but an integral part of the experience: it invites you to slow down, to enjoy the journey and the landscape of Val Raccolana, one of the wildest and most evocative valleys in Friuli. It's a festival that rewards those seeking authenticity over convenience.

The True Julian Alps

Chiusaforte and Val Raccolana are located in the heart of the Julian Alps, on the border of the Julian Prealps Natural Park and a stone's throw from the Montasio massif. Participating in the Fieste dal Soreli e dai Gnocs means discovering a Friulian mountain outside the usual tourist circuits, where traditions endure in their purest and most genuine form.