Sant'Alessandro Festival
The patronal feast of the Sant'Alessandro district in Riva del Garda, featuring traditional Trentino cuisine, fried aole, orchestras, and dancing on Lake Garda.
About Sant'Alessandro Festival
A patronal festival in the heart of Upper Garda
The Sant'Alessandro Festival is the patronal feast of the Sant'Alessandro district, a small village sprawling across the hills of the Riva del Garda municipality, in the province of Trento, at the northern tip of Lake Garda. Every year, towards the end of August, the community gathers around its patron saint, Sant'Alessandro, celebrated on August 26th, for an event that weaves together religious tradition, local gastronomy, and village social life.
Over fifty years of history
The festival is rooted in the work of the Pro Loco Sant'Alessandro, an association active since the mid-20th century, founded to enliven the district's life. The first edition held directly in the district dates back to 1969; previously, the festivities were held in the center of Riva, with the banquet set up under the historic Torre Apponale. Since then, the festival has become a staple of the Upper Garda summer calendar, with dedicated facilities and spaces in the district's park and sports center.
The tradition of lake fish
The gastronomic heart of the festival is tied to the lake: for over half a century, the festival has been remembered for its motto "bread, wine, and little fish" and for the serving of aole, the small fried lake fish that have always accompanied the evenings. Alongside the lake tradition, the food stands offer classic Trentino cuisine every night: spit-roasted meat and polenta, Val di Ledro polenta, grilled trout, and the mixed fried seafood served on Friday and Saturday nights.
Music, dancing, and evenings in good company
The program combines fine food and entertainment. Evenings flow with ballroom dance orchestras, DJ sets, dance group performances, and Zumba fitness sessions, along with the traditional briscola tournament and various shows. The festival maintains a familiar and convivial spirit: in recent years, the Pro Loco has introduced the use of biodegradable tableware as a sign of environmental awareness and a commitment to waste sorting.
A community celebration
Beyond the program, the Sant'Alessandro Festival represents an annual opportunity for the residents of the district and all of Riva del Garda to meet in a climate of friendship and solidarity, strengthening bonds and the sense of community belonging. In a region like Trentino-Alto Adige, where village festivals mark the summer, the Sant'Alessandro event remains a great little classic of the Upper Garda Trentino.
Sant'Alessandro Festival — edition 2026
Sant'Alessandro Festival 2026
From August 20th to 26th, 2026, the Sant'Alessandro district in Riva del Garda celebrates its patron saint with seven evenings of popular festivities at the playground and sports center on Via Sisto Mazzoldi. Stands open every evening from 6:00 PM.
The program alternates between cuisine and entertainment: briscola tournament at the opening, an evening with spit-roasted meat and polenta (by reservation), dinners with traditional Trentino cuisine and mixed fried seafood on Friday and Saturday nights, and Val di Ledro polenta. On the musical front, the schedule includes the "Pausa Merlot" evening, live music by MG Project, DJ sets by DJ Stefanuti, Zumba fitness with Debby, a performance by Onde Garda Dance, and ballroom dancing with the Devis Ballerini orchestra.
On August 26th, the patron saint's day, the religious service with mass will take place. Free admission. All events are held in the municipality of Riva del Garda, in Trentino-Alto Adige.
Programme Sant'Alessandro Festival 2026
- Thu Aug 20 — opening at 6:00 PM, bar and sandwiches, briscola tournament (registration at 7:00 PM, start at 8:30 PM)
- Fri Aug 21 — dinner with spit-roasted meat and polenta (by reservation), "Pausa Merlot" musical evening
- Sat Aug 22 — traditional dinner and mixed fried seafood, Zumba fitness with Debby, live music by MG Project
- Sun Aug 23 — traditional dinner and mixed fried seafood, DJ Stefanuti
- Mon Aug 24 — dinner with Val di Ledro polenta (by reservation), Onde Garda Dance performance, ballroom dancing with the Devis Ballerini orchestra
- Wed Aug 26 — Mass for the patron saint Sant'Alessandro
Highlights Sant'Alessandro Festival 2026
- Mass for the patron saint Sant'Alessandro on August 26th
- Traditional Trentino cuisine, spit-roasted meat and polenta, mixed fried seafood
- Dance orchestras, DJ sets, and live music by MG Project
- Briscola tournament and dance evenings (Zumba, Onde Garda Dance)
Prices Sant'Alessandro Festival 2026
Practical information — Sant'Alessandro Festival
Location
Playground and Sports Center of Sant'Alessandro, Via Sisto Mazzoldi 12, Sant'Alessandro district, 38066 Riva del Garda (TN). The district is located in the hills north of the center of Riva del Garda, at the northern end of Lake Garda.
How to get there
By car: A22 motorway exit Rovereto Sud/Lago di Garda Nord, then SS240 towards Riva del Garda. By train: Rovereto station on the Brenner line, then bus service to Riva del Garda. Nearest airports: Verona Villafranca and Bergamo Orio al Serio.
Admission and hours
Free admission. Evenings generally run from 6:00 PM until late, with dinner available at the food stands. Some themed evenings (comedy shows) may require a contribution. Reservations are recommended for spit-roasted meat and special menus.
Festival-goer photos
No photos yet. Share yours!
Share your photos
5 photos max, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)
Noticed an error or missing information?
Help us keep this listing up to date. Every proposal is verified by our team before publication.
Festival-goer reviews
No rating yet — be the first!
No comments yet. Be the first!
Were you there?
Share your experience with the community.
Where does it take place — Sant'Alessandro Festival
Parco giochi e Centro sportivo di Sant'Alessandro
Via Sisto Mazzoldi 12, frazione Sant'Alessandro, 38066 Riva del Garda