Sagra di Sant'Antonio

The patron saint's festival of Rivamonte

The Sagra di Sant'Antonio, in dialect Sagra de Sant'Antoni, is the patronal festival of Rivamonte Agordino, a municipality in the Conca Agordina in the province of Belluno, in the heart of the Dolomites. Celebrated on June 13th in honour of Saint Anthony of Padua, it is one of the most cherished events of the Agordina summer, linked to a tradition rooted in an ancient vow made by the community to the saint.

Devotion and blessing of the Cordoi

The religious aspect is central: the solemn mass is accompanied by a procession with the statue of the saint and the blessing of the Cordoi de Sant'Antoni, white cotton cords that mimic the saint's Franciscan cord. Blessed and worn on the wrist or tied to cattle horns, according to tradition, they protect from misfortune — a folk ritual that intertwines peasant faith and mountain culture.

Fair, gnocchi, and conviviality

Alongside devotion, the festival features a market fair that enlivens the village throughout the day, with local products and stalls, and a food stand with its signature dish: gnocchi with smoked ricotta (poina) and melted butter. The festival is completed by a funfair, music, and moments of conviviality, in an event organised by the Pro Loco of Rivamonte that brings together the entire community of the Conca Agordina.