Rhododendron Festival at Malga Bodrina

The Rhododendron Festival, an alpine tradition of Val di Non

The Rhododendron Festival is one of the most cherished events of the Anaunia summer. Every year, typically on the second Sunday of June, the green pastures of Malga Bodrina (1550 meters above sea level) in the municipality of Ton, in the province of Trento (Trentino-Alto Adige), come alive with hikers, mountaineers, and families drawn by this celebration organized by the Ton Section of the SAT (Society of Tridentine Mountaineers) at the Rifugio Rododendro.

A festival born from the Croce di Roccapiana

The festival has its roots in 1966. It was then that, after months of volunteer work, a group of local youths carried to the summit and inaugurated the new Croce di Roccapiana (1864 m), crafted from iron and transported in six sections to the peak that overlooks Val di Non and the Adige Valley. The inauguration, with Mass celebrated by Father Enzo Lucchi, launched what would become the traditional Rhododendron Festival. 2026 marks the 60th anniversary of that inauguration, a milestone that makes the occasion even more significant for the community of Ton and the SAT.

The day's program

The heart of the festival is the Holy Mass celebrated outdoors, traditionally accompanied by the songs of a mountain choir, such as the Coro San Romedio Anaunia in past years. Around the Rifugio Rododendro, managed by the SAT of Ton, hikers gather after arriving via the various trails leading up to Malga Bodrina: trail no. 509 from Vigo di Ton, no. 516 from Masi di Vigo, and no. 500 from Mezzocorona. The day continues with moments of conviviality, lunch at altitude, and the opportunity to reach the Croce di Roccapiana in about an hour's walk along the SAT 504 trail, offering a 360-degree view of the Trentino mountains.

Malga Bodrina and the Rifugio Rododendro

Malga Bodrina is a plateau formed by gentle grassy hills, visible from the entire Val di Non, with cattle grazing during the summer. The Rifugio Rododendro is a mountain hut owned by the SAT of Ton that remains open even during the winter months, when the malga structures are closed. Both a destination and a starting point for numerous excursions, the refuge is the hub around which this alpine festival has revolved for over half a century, serving as an authentic expression of popular traditions and the Ton community's love for the mountains.