Saints Anthony and Marcellus Patronal Festival – Chiarano d'Arco

A fifty-year tradition

In the heart of winter, when the Upper Garda area of Trentino is wrapped in quiet, the hamlet of Chiarano, in the Municipality of Arco (Province of Trento, Trentino-Alto Adige), revives its most cherished celebration: the Saints Anthony and Marcellus Patronal Festival. It is an event that blends devotion, rural memory, and a sense of community, spread over two weekends in January.

The festival was founded in 1974 thanks to the vision of Carlo Berlanda, a chef and the first president of the committee, who took on a friendly challenge: why shouldn't Chiarano have its own festival, just like the neighboring villages? The founding principle was simple and generous — «vim e gròstoi per gnent» (wine and fritters for free) — in memory of the ancient custom of January 17th, when visitors from the Val Rendena, who had come for trade, were welcomed with wine and fritters.

The patron saints and rituals

The festival honors Saint Marcellus (January 16) and Saint Anthony the Abbot (January 17), the protector of animals and the rural world. A central moment is the traditional mass with the blessing of the animals, which weaves together the religious and agricultural dimensions, deeply rooted in the village's history.

Courtyards, cuisine, and music

During the two weekends, the historic center is transformed: historic courtyards open their doors, horseback rides return, along with traditional dances and the polenta competition. Under the marquee, the food stand offers typical Trentino dishes, while the evenings heat up with DJ sets, live music, and the Chiarano Beer Fest. There is also a food and wine walking tour through the village streets and the traditional lottery.

«Come se feva 'na volta»

The heart and soul of the festival are the «Come se feva 'na volta» workshops — «how it was done in the past» — designed for children and families: wool processing, farm animals, cheese making, beekeeping and honey, embroidery, medicinal herbs, and oil production. It is a way to pass on the rural knowledge of this land to new generations.

The strength of the community

Making every edition possible are over one hundred volunteers — men, women, young people, and entire families — coordinated by the Committee. Fifty years after the first edition, the Chiarano Festival remains a piece of the hamlet's identity and one of the most characteristic winter events in Arco and the entire Trentino region.