Events and Festivals in Val di Zoldo

LA GNAGA

Traditions narrates that, on the last day of Carnival, young recruits were protagonists of the Gnaga. The Gnaga is a wedding procession, where bride and bridegroom are accompanied by a merry crowd. This all used to begin in the morning, when the Matazin, running and rumbling along the narrow alleyways of the village, invited all people to a party, that ended in a large banquet. The originality of the procession was not only provided by the males disguises of the locals, but largely from the beautiful wooden masks worn by these. The day not only celebrated the festivities of Carnival, but also the end of the tough winter season. Quite so, the Gnaga, the true protagonist of the event, is a old lady, with a hunchback from years of hard work and struggle, who carries in her pannier a young man. This is as metaphor on old and new, on winter and spring. Today, during THE FIRST WEEKEND OF FEBRUARY, this old tradition is put to life again, livening up the village full of authentic party traditions. This is thanks to the hard work of the voluntary association “Al Piodech Zoldan”.

THE MASKS

During the celebration of the Gnaga, the Piodech Zoldan association also organises an important competition of handcrafted wooden masks.
Every year, a different theme is offered to the artists and the rules are strict: the masks must be made of wood and must be able to be worn comfortably. In the village’s old dairy barn, throughout the celebrations, the masks are put out for public viewing.

For lovers of classical music or simply for those who desire to experience the village in an unusual atmosphere, during the SECOND WEEKEND OF AUGUST, Fornesighe organises a music event. For this occasion, in village corners and along its streets, you can spot small ensembles of musicians performing well known classical pieces.