The Brescia and Trentino sides of Lake Garda come to life for two not-to-be-missed events in August: a patron saint’s day and a festival which has been bringing the Riva summer to a close for seventy years now
It is fireworks which mark the most important moments in the summer on Lake Garda, lighting up the skies with colours which reflect on the water like a mirror.
Toscolano Maderno’s patron saint’s day festival lasts four days, from 9 to 12 August. Its lakeside promenade hosts the fair with its stalls from the morning onwards, but the most eagerly awaited event is on Tuesday 11th at 11 pm, with a firework event in the gulf of Maderno. The next day is the turn of the festival’s religious side, with mass and a blessing of the waters in which, in accordance with legend, a boat carrying the mortal remains of 6th century Brescia bishop Ercolano, who entrusted his body to the lake’s waters when he died, moors.
The bishop’s relics are kept in Maderno, and he’s patron saint of the Brescia side of the lake and protector of fishermen and sailors. A town band concert then takes place that evening, in Piazza San Marco. “For four days the town is turned into an open-sky stage in which history, art, faith and entertainment meld into one,” says mayor Chiara Chimini. “The culmination of all this is the fireworks, but there is also the Cammino di Sant’Ercolano trek on the Monte Pizzocolo and Monte Spino footpaths in the midst of nature and spirituality.”
From 26 to 30 August Riva del Garda hosts the Notte di Fiaba fairytale night, which has been bringing the Riva summer to a close since 1950 and has revolved around a different fairytale every year since 1999. This year the focus will be Tarzan, a nature, belonging and courage story staged in the historic centre with shows, music, workshops and events for all ages. One of the most eagerly awaited events is the firework display in the gulf, which brings thousands of people to the lakeside promenade and beaches. “Our Notte di Fiaba is much more than simply tourism,” emphasises Silvio Rigatti, president of Garda Dolomiti Azienda per il Turismo. “It is primarily a great community moment. Over 100 volunteers and 25 associations give their time and enthusiasm to the event every year, making it a festival with deep roots in the town.” “Experiences such as this narrate Garda better than many images,” comments Stefania Lorenzoni, president of Consorzio Lago di Garda Lombardia, “a lake whose lifeblood is its community, not just its landscape.”
