Spinazeda District Festival "Under the Walnut Tree"

The Spinazeda District Festival in Cles

The Spinazeda District Festival "Under the Walnut Tree" holds a special place in the Val di Non summer calendar. Every June, the Cles district of Spinazeda transforms for two days into a large community courtyard: people eat, drink, dance, and sing together in the shade of the large fruit-bearing walnut tree that gives the festival its name. The event takes place in Cles, the main town of the Val di Non, in the province of Trento, Trentino-Alto Adige.

The walnut tree of Pra della Nogara

The symbolic heart of the festival is Pra della Nogara, the square along Viale De Gasperi, next to the hospital, where a century-old walnut tree (Juglans regia) stands tall. This tree, likely over a hundred years old, won the "Tree of the Year" Facebook contest in Italy in 2015, becoming a small emblem of the district and the town. It is precisely "under the walnut tree" (sotto la nogara) that the tables, kitchen, and stage are set up, creating the simple, familiar atmosphere typical of Trentino district festivals.

Traditional Anaunia cuisine

The festival is, above all, an opportunity to taste the popular cuisine of the Val di Non. The menu, unchanged over the years, features dishes that have become a ritual for regulars:

• Polenta and tripe with borlotti beans, the festival's signature dish;
• Amblèt, with both sweet and savoury fillings;
• The famous "Poldo" sandwich, which has become a trademark of the festival;
• Other local specialties and traditional desserts.

The menu remains the same for lunch and dinner, catering to the different times of the celebration.

Music, aperitifs, and conviviality

The festival evenings are marked by live music: from acoustic duos to dance bands, every edition brings different groups to the Pra della Nogara stage, ranging from folk and covers to dance parties. On Saturday morning, the traditional "Spinazeda" aperitif is held, followed by lunch and dinner, in a continuous flow of families, young people, and seniors from the district and neighbouring towns.

A community celebration

The event is organised by the Gruppo Rionale Spinazeda, with the collaboration of the Municipality of Cles, the Pro Loco of Cles, the Alpini Group, and local entities such as Radio Anaunia Val di Non. It is a festival born from neighbourhood volunteering that renews the bond between the inhabitants of Spinazeda every June, restoring the most authentic sense of a Trentino village feast: being together, outdoors, around good food and good music.