Möltner Kirchtig / Mölten Festival

The Möltner Kirchtig, the heart of summer in Mölten

The Möltner Kirchtig (Mölten Festival) is the most cherished event in the small village of Mölten, perched over 1,100 meters high on the Tschöggelberg plateau in the province of Bolzano, Trentino-South Tyrol. Every year, on August 14th and 15th, the festival coincides with the Feast of the Assumption (Maria Himmelfahrt), transforming the village center into a vibrant gathering place for the local community and the many visitors spending their summer among the pastures and forests of the Salto plateau.

Organized by the Volunteer Fire Department

The event is organized by the Freiwillige Feuerwehr Mölten, the local Volunteer Fire Department, which handles everything from setup and logistics to catering and the entire program. As in many South Tyrolean villages, the Kirchtig is both a religious and a community celebration: it is an opportunity to strengthen community bonds, reconnect with friends and family, and share traditions passed down through generations.

The two-day program

The festival follows a well-established rhythm. The evening of August 14th kicks off the celebrations at 7:00 PM, with a party night starting at 9:00 PM featuring a DJ. August 15th, the Feast of the Assumption, begins at 8:45 AM with Holy Mass and the traditional festival procession (Kirchtagsprozession); from 10:00 AM, the festivities hit their stride with Zopfnmusi music and the traditional lottery (Glückstopf).

• In the afternoon, enjoy a performance by the Möltner Schuhplattler, dancers in traditional costume who perform the iconic folk dances involving rhythmic hand-slapping on their leather breeches and shoes.
• From 4:00 PM, musical entertainment with the Musikkapelle Mölten, the local village brass band.
• From 7:00 PM, the evening continues with the band NIAginua.

Throughout the festival, food and drink service is available, offering traditional South Tyrolean dishes, from dumplings (canederli) to roasts, accompanied by local beer and wines.

A mountain village to discover

Attending the Möltner Kirchtig is also the perfect excuse to explore Mölten, a quiet and sunny village overlooking the Bolzano basin, and a starting point for numerous hikes on the Salto plateau, one of the largest larch plateaus in Europe. The festival blends the Marian devotion of the South Tyrolean Ferragosto with folk music and the warmth of mountain hospitality, creating an authentic atmosphere far removed from mass tourism.