Pre Njmegen di Malnate

A festival born from a march

Pre Njmegen in Malnate (Province of Varese) has unique origins: it was created to accompany and support the Italian walkers who set off every summer for the Vierdaagse di Nijmegen, the historic four-day march held in the Netherlands. From that sporting and solidarity-driven purpose, a great popular festival has grown over the years, now a fixed event on the Malnate calendar.

Two weeks of music and community

For about two weeks, the Area Feste in via Pastore becomes the pulsating heart of the event: every evening there's live music with orchestras and ballroom dancing, food stalls, tournaments, and social gatherings. The festival brings together different generations and involves local associations and organisations, from the Social Centre to dance schools, in a program that alternates entertainment, sport, and conviviality.

The walkers' departure

The most heartfelt moment remains the departure of the walkers, who traditionally set off early in the morning towards Holland: a ritual that recalls the original spirit of the event. The grand finale arrives with a fireworks display that lights up the Malnate sky.

An institution of the region

Organised by the Associazione Pre Njmegen (Pre Njmegen Association) with the patronage of the Province of Varese and the Municipality of Malnate, the festival is now an institution that attracts crowds from neighbouring towns as well. Now in its fiftieth edition, it tells the story of a community's ability to transform a gesture of sporting solidarity into a grand village festival.