Völser Kirchtag (Fiè Patronal Festival / Feast of the Assumption)

The Völser Kirchtag, the patronal festival of Fiè allo Sciliar

The Völser Kirchtag is the patronal festival of the municipality of Fiè allo Sciliar/Völs am Schlern, in the Autonomous Province of Bolzano (South Tyrol). It is celebrated every year on August 15th, the day of the Assumption of Mary (Ferragosto), to which the village's parish church, the Erzpfarrkirche Mariä Himmelfahrt (Church of the Assumption), is dedicated. It is a fixed-date event, deeply rooted in the German-speaking community of the Sciliar plateau.

A day of faith and tradition

The festivities begin in the morning, around 9:00 AM, with a solemn High Mass in the parish church, followed by the traditional patronal procession (Kirchtagsprozession) through the streets of the town center. In the afternoon, around 2:30 PM, the grand festive parade (Festumzug) takes place, accompanying the community, local associations, and brass bands to the Festplatz Völs, the village's main festival grounds.

Music, brass bands, and South Tyrolean specialties

At the Festplatz, the day continues with the Kirchtagsfest, the convivial heart of the festival: brass band concerts, entertainment, the classic raffle (Kirchtagslos), and celebrations lasting until evening. There is no shortage of grilled dishes and South Tyrolean gastronomic specialties, including the typical Völserer Kirchtagskrapfen (Fiè festival doughnuts) and Strauben, the traditional Tyrolean spiral-shaped fritters.

Organization and community

The festival is organized by the Musikkapelle Völs am Schlern, the local brass band, with the involvement of local associations. The Völser Kirchtag represents one of the most important identity-defining moments of the year for the Fiè community, blending the religious significance of the Assumption with popular festivities and a warm welcome for visitors vacationing on the plateau.

At the foot of the Sciliar, in the Dolomites

Fiè allo Sciliar lies at the foot of the Sciliar (Schlern) massif, a symbol of South Tyrol, within the Sciliar-Catinaccio Nature Park and just a stone's throw from the Alpe di Siusi (Seiser Alm), the largest high-altitude alpine meadow in Europe. Attending the Kirchtag means experiencing a day of authentic alpine tradition in one of the most evocative settings of the UNESCO World Heritage Dolomites.