StilZ Festival

A mountain village turned into a stage

The StilZ Festival is one of the most original cultural experiences in the Vinschgau Valley, in the heart of South Tyrol. "StilZ" is the affectionate name locals use for their village, Stilfs (Stelvio in Italian), which clings to the slopes above Prato allo Stelvio in the Province of Bolzano, at the foot of the famous Stelvio Pass. For three days, its characteristic small squares with their fountains, steep alleys, and houses built into the hillside become natural settings for shows, concerts, and installations: the village itself, with its extraordinary verticality, is the main protagonist of the event.

A cultural project funded by the PNRR

The festival was born from the "Stilfs - Resilienz erzählen" ("Stilfs - Telling Resilience") project, funded by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) and designed to revitalize one of the highest and most picturesque villages in the Alps. The artistic direction is led by director and curator Manfred Schweigkofler, supported by a group of active citizens who help shape the program. It is not just a simple calendar of events, but a cultural journey where the community tells its own story through art.

A three-year cycle in three stages

StilZ Festival is conceived as a trilogy that accompanies the village over three years, each with a guiding question: in 2024, heritage and historical roots ("Where do we come from?"); in 2025, identity ("Who are we?"); and in 2026, a vision for the future ("Where do we want to go?"). The 2026 edition is the third and final installment of the cycle, tying together the collective narrative that began two years prior.

Program and atmosphere

The program weaves together diverse languages: music, dance, theatre, performances, films, exhibitions, narrative walks (Erzählwanderungen), presentations, workshops, and local food and wine offerings. Performances take place outdoors in the public spaces of the Stilfs Dorf historic centre, making the most of the village's natural acoustics and scenery. It is an event designed for curious audiences and families, where visitors move on foot between locations, following the rhythm of the festival.

How to experience the festival

Reaching Stilfs is an immersion in the landscape itself: the village overlooks the Stelvio Pass road and dominates the Vinschgau Valley from a spectacular vantage point. Visitors to the festival discover both a high-level cultural event and one of the most fascinating mountain villages in South Tyrol, in a continuous dialogue between contemporary art and Alpine tradition.