Pragser Kirchtag of Braies

The Kirchtag, the heart of the rural tradition of Braies

The Pragser Kirchtag is the village festival of the Ferrara/Schmieden hamlet, located in the Inner Braies area within the municipality of Braies (Prags), in the province of Bolzano, in the heart of the Upper Puster Valley and just a few kilometers from the famous Lake Braies. The term Kirchtag refers to the local patronal feast throughout South Tyrol, an event deeply rooted in Alpine culture that blends devotion, conviviality, and ancient rural customs.

The Kirtamichlbam, the tree raised without cranes

The absolute symbol of the festival is the Kirtamichlbam, the Kirchtag tree: a fir trunk stripped of its branches, decorated with a wreath of foliage, and topped with a figure called Michl. The tree stands between 28 and 30 meters tall, and the unique feature in Braies is that it is raised entirely by hand, without the help of any cranes: the unmarried local youth hoist it using only the strength of their arms, in a collective effort that requires coordination and endurance. Once erected, the tree is guarded in shifts throughout the night.

The two-day program

The festival spans two intense days:

• Saturday: the local youth raise the Kirtamichlbam; in the evening, the Kirtaball takes place, a traditional dance party featuring a DJ and folk music.
• Sunday: the day begins with a hearty Bavarian breakfast featuring Weißwurst (traditional white sausages) and beer; lunch showcases South Tyrolean culinary specialties; in the afternoon, amidst live music, the Kirtamichl is taken down, followed by the lottery draw, where the top prize is the Kirchtag tree itself.

An authentic experience in the municipality of Braies

Unlike the more crowded destinations in the Puster Valley, the Pragser Kirchtag retains a genuine, community-driven character: it is organized and lived by the locals, led by the Bauernjugend (the rural youth association). For visitors, it is an opportunity to discover the most authentic face of the Dolomites, where rural traditions are passed down from generation to generation in a mountain village in Trentino-Alto Adige, where customs are not a tourist spectacle but a living part of the community.