Gamberi - Water Festival

A festival dedicated to water in the heart of the Giudicarie

The Gamberi - Water Festival is a cultural and environmental event held in Comano Terme, in the Giudicarie Esteriori valley, in the province of Trento (Trentino-Alto Adige). Established in 2023 by a group of local young organizers, the festival has turned Ponte Arche and the Sarca Valley into a sprawling stage for a long weekend in early September dedicated to water in all its forms: natural resource, energy, thermal wellness, agriculture, gastronomy, and landscape.

The freshwater crayfish, the festival's symbol

The festival's name pays homage to the freshwater crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes), a species once abundant in Trentino's streams, now nearly extinct due to pollution and environmental changes. Its presence is a vital indicator of river ecosystem health: for this reason, the crayfish serves as a symbol of a collective commitment to protecting and restoring clean, biodiversity-rich waters in the Giudicarie.

A program blending science, nature, and culture

The festival offers a rich calendar that weaves together scientific outreach, outdoor experiences, and entertainment. Recurring highlights include:

• Scientific conferences and talks on glaciers, rivers, and climate change, featuring the "Science Square" section and research projects like Ice Memory and Water Observers;
• Guided excursions and hikes, cycle tourism between parish churches and springs, canyoning, and environmental education activities;
• Outdoor cinema featuring mountain documentaries, often in collaboration with the Trento Film Festival;
• Concerts, readings, children's workshops, natural wellness practices, and yoga;
• The evocative dinners on bridges and the Crayfish Palio, a non-competitive race run "backwards".

A widespread event in the Sarca Valley

Supported by the Sarca River Park and local entities from the Municipality of Comano Terme and neighboring towns, the festival combines the area's thermal heritage with a new ecological sensitivity. Each edition revolves around a theme: the 2025 edition was dedicated to "Ice and Water," focusing on the fragility of alpine ecosystems and disappearing glaciers. The Gamberi - Water Festival has become a highly anticipated appointment for those wishing to discover the valleys of Trentino through the very element that shapes its landscape: water.