Sardelada – Lake Fish Festival

The lake fish festival of Riva del Garda

The Sardelada is one of the most beloved gastronomic events of the Garda summer. Every year, at the Parco del Brolio in Riva del Garda, in the province of Trento and the Trentino-Alto Adige region, the Amici della Tirlindana Association celebrates a symbol of local cuisine: lake fish. The event combines gastronomy, local culture, and the promotion of Garda Trentino traditions, drawing residents and tourists alike for an evening of authentic flavors.

Garda sardines in three ways

The absolute protagonists are the lake sardines, also known as agoni, a fish particularly abundant in the waters of Lake Garda. They are served in three traditional preparations:

• Fried, crispy and golden;
• Grilled, cooked over embers;
• In sisam, the ancient sweet-and-sour marinade made with onions, vinegar, white wine, bay leaves, and peppercorns, once used to preserve fish during the winter.

The sardines are always accompanied by steaming polenta, served alongside white wine, beer, soft drinks, and water. All this takes place in a festive atmosphere, under the shade of the park's plane trees and caressed by the Òra, the afternoon breeze that blows up the lake.

The Tirlindana tradition

The Sardelada has its roots in an ancient custom of the Garda community. Fishermen would return at dawn after a night of fishing on the tirlindana, the vast submerged plateau in the middle of the lake that is particularly rich in sardines. They would light a fire on the shore and cook the freshly landed catch, sharing it with friends and curious onlookers who had gathered to watch the nets being hauled in. This moment of conviviality gave birth to the festival that still bears the same name today.

An association protecting the lake

Founded in 1997, the Amici della Tirlindana Association does not just deal with gastronomy: for over a quarter of a century, it has been committed to the protection of Lake Garda's fish fauna, the balanced repopulation of species, and the restoration of natural habitats. The sardines for the Sardelada are caught in the days leading up to the event by association volunteers using only fishing rods, in the spirit of sustainable and environmentally friendly fishing.

A festival of the Municipality of Riva del Garda

The Sardelada has now established itself as a fixed appointment in the summer calendar of the Municipality of Riva del Garda, the tourist heart of the Trentino Upper Garda. It is an ideal opportunity to discover an authentic gastronomic tradition, far from fleeting trends, and to experience the convivial atmosphere that characterizes summer evenings on the lake.