Jergina Kirschta

Jergina Kirschta: The heart of tradition in San Giorgio

The Jergina Kirschta is the traditional village festival (known as Kirchtag in German and Kirschta in the Pusterese dialect) of San Giorgio/St. Georgen, a village at the foot of Plan de Corones that is part of the municipality of Bruneck, in the Puster Valley (Autonomous Province of Bolzano, Trentino-Alto Adige). Every year, on the last weekend of August, the village center experiences what locals call a "state of exception": three days of music, conviviality, and tradition that draw visitors from across the entire valley.

A festival organized by the local band

The event is conceived and organized by the Musikkapelle St. Georgen, the local brass band, which boasts over seventy active musicians under the direction of Thomas Kiniger. The Jergina Kirschta is the most important event of the year for the association and the entire community, and the proceeds help support the band's musical activities.

Music, gastronomy, and village atmosphere

The program alternates between brass band music, Oberkrainer groups, and dance ensembles that keep the marquee lively until late at night, accompanied by a rich selection of South Tyrolean gastronomic specialties and local wines. It is a festival designed for all ages: families, young people, and folk music enthusiasts gather around the tables and the dance floor.

The tradition of the Kirschtazeit

The Kirschta is rooted in the tradition of church consecration festivals common in the villages of the Puster Valley and its side valleys. A symbol of these celebrations is the Kirschtamichl, a straw puppet dressed in traditional clothing that, in many locations, is raised to the top of a tree (the Kirschtamichlbaum) at the start of the festivities: a hallmark of identity that links the Jergina Kirschta to South Tyrolean cultural heritage.

Where it takes place

The festival is held in the center of San Giorgio/St. Georgen, on Pipenstraße, just a few kilometers from the center of Bruneck. The village is easily accessible and serves as a convenient base for those staying in the Plan de Corones area.