Nova Ponente Heritage Festival (Kirchtag)

A festival rooted in tradition

The Nova Ponente Heritage Festival, known in German as the Kirchtag, is the traditional village festival of Deutschnofen, in the municipality of Nova Ponente, in the province of Bolzano (South Tyrol). The Kirchtag—literally "church day"—is one of the oldest and most cherished customs in South Tyrolean culture. Originally a patronal feast linked to the consecration of the parish church, it has evolved over the centuries into a community gathering that brings residents and visitors together in the village center.

Music, tradition, and conviviality

The heart of the event is the concert by the Nova Böhmische, a band that performs a repertoire of Bohemian and South Tyrolean music, with brass instruments, accordions, and rhythms that have always accompanied village festivals in the Alpine region. Surrounding the music is the typical Kirchtag atmosphere: food stalls, drinks, traditional pastries, and generations meeting beneath the village bell tower.

• Concert by the Bohemian-style band Nova Böhmische
• South Tyrolean culinary specialties and local products
• Convivial atmosphere in the village center (Dorfplatz)
• Free admission, open to residents and tourists

Nova Ponente, a mountain village in the Val d'Ega

Nova Ponente/Deutschnofen is situated at an altitude of 1,357 meters on a sunny plateau in the Val d'Ega (Eggental), surrounded by some of the most famous peaks in the Dolomites: the Catinaccio (Rosengarten), the Sciliar, and the Latemar. The village is also known for the nearby sanctuary of Maria Weißenstein (Pietralba), one of the most important pilgrimage sites in South Tyrol. This dual identity—as a hardworking Alpine community and a land of religious tradition—shines through in the Kirchtag, which remains one of the moments of the year when the village comes together to celebrate its identity.

When it takes place

The Deutschnofen Kirchtag is traditionally held in July, during the summer season that brings numerous visitors to the village. The event is annual and free, and it is part of the rich calendar of popular festivals, markets, and concerts that enliven the Val d'Ega plateau during the summer months in the heart of Trentino-Alto Adige.