Sagra de San Martin Festival

The festival of the saint who gives the village its name

The Sagra de San Martin is the patronal festival of San Martino di Castrozza, the famous tourist resort in the municipality of Primiero San Martino di Castrozza, in the province of Trento, in the heart of the Trentino-Alto Adige region. Every year, at the beginning of November, the village at the foot of the Pale di San Martino gathers to honor its patron saint with a long weekend of events that weave together faith, Alpine tradition, and conviviality.

The bond between the village and Saint Martin has roots in a thousand-year-old past: about a thousand years ago, where San Martino di Castrozza stands today, there was a church and a hospice dedicated to Saints Martin and Julian, run by a small Benedictine religious community. The hospice provided assistance and hospitality to pilgrims, travelers, and merchants who, since the early Middle Ages, faced the difficult crossing of the Alps. The village took its name from that ancient dedication.

A weekend of events

The festival spans three days, with events distributed between the Casa della Montagna, the Sports Hall, the church of San Martino, and the town squares. The program alternates between cultural, sporting, gastronomic, and festive moments:

• Friday: A cultural evening featuring the screening of documentaries related to the mountains and the territory, often in the presence of authors and professionals from the Dolomites.
• Saturday: Outdoor activities such as the climbing open day at the Sports Hall with US Primiero, followed by happy hour, the traditional fish dinner, and a live music evening continuing with a DJ set late into the night.
• Sunday: The most heartfelt day, featuring solemn mass in honor of the patron saint in the church of San Martino, a demonstration by the Volunteer Firefighters, the grand traditional lunch featuring polenta, luganega, beans (fasoi), cabbage (capusi), and cheese (formai), the briscola tournament, roasted chestnuts with mulled wine, children's workshops, and a lottery draw with great prizes.

Flavors and traditions of Primiero

The Sagra de San Martin is also an opportunity to rediscover the flavors of the Primiero valley. The Sunday lunch, with polenta, luganega, and beans (fasoi), reflects traditional mountain peasant cuisine, while in the evening, the Youth Group offers pasta and minestrone to the community. The festival falls during the traditional period of Saint Martin, November 11th, historically linked to the end of the agricultural year, the racking of wine, and the abundance of harvests: a moment of thanksgiving and sharing that, in San Martino di Castrozza, is also charged with the strong identity value of the bond with the saint who gives the village its name.

An event in the heart of the Dolomites

Organized by the ApT San Martino di Castrozza, Passo Rolle, Primiero and Vanoi with the collaboration of local associations, the festival represents one of the most anticipated autumn events in the area. It is the ideal opportunity to experience San Martino di Castrozza in a more intimate and authentic way, away from the peak tourist season, when the village returns to tell its story through its traditions.