From May 1 to 3, 2026, in Tirano (SO), the first edition of the Alpine Culture Fest will take place, made possible thanks to the BandoOlimpiadi della Cultura of Regione Lombardia.

The ‘highlands’ are of fundamental importance for the production of water, food, biodiversity, and culture: it is from this very perspective that the idea of an Alpine Culture Fest originated, which aims to celebrate rituals, craftsmanship, music, narratives, and community practices of the Alps. The goal is to tell what is not visible from the ski slopes of the major events in Milan-Cortina 2026, but which constitutes the deep soul of the mountain: the “know-how” transmitted over the centuries, the economy of the pastures, the shared gestures, the ceremonies that still unite the communities.

The Alpine Culture Fest is organized by the Comunità Montana di Valle Camonica and the Comunità Montana Valtellina di Tirano, with a program that brings together the two geographically contiguous areas. It will therefore be a three-day event of music, meetings with artisans and farmers, moments of reflection, and installations, with Lombard alpine culture as the protagonist.

A preview of the event is scheduled in Tirano from January 23 to February 23, 2026, in the cloister of the Municipality of the town, dedicated to ‘Minimal Living in the Mountains’ (free admission). The exhibition is designed for a dialogue, in the run-up to the Olympics, about architecture and minimal, sustainable building, in the virtuous relationship between man and environment. The exhibition collects the best works of alpine architecture presented at the international award ‘Minimal Living in the Mountains’ promoted by the Comunità Montana di Valle Camonica, and has already been exhibited in prestigious foreign locations such as: Fachhochschule Graubünden (Chur, Switzerland), Bled Culture Institute (Slovenia), Architekturgalerie München (Germany).

The Involvement of the Territories

Crucial now for the organizers is the involvement of the alpine territories in the event's construction phase, which aims to be a collective effort to which anyone can contribute: artisans, agri-food producers, those who practice a community ritual, or even musicians and artists.

Everyone can apply by filling out the appropriate form through the site accessible at festadellealpi.it or alpineculturefest.com.

The artistic direction of the Fest, entrusted to director and videomaker Fabrizio Zanotti, will select the various candidates who will thus be able to participate in the three-day event in Tirano.

Some young people already selected by the organizers will form the group of Ambassadors of Alpine Culture tasked with following and activating the various participating communities.

The Word to the Public Institutions

Councilor for Culture CM Valle Camonica Priscilla Ziliani: «This project is part of the broader context of Milan-Cortina 2026 but with a very different purpose. The goal is to tell the communities of the highlands, those who live and face the mountain every day. It is these communities that make the difference in mountainous areas; we look forward to welcoming all those who know and can tell the know-how of the mountain».

The Mayor of Tirano Stefania Stoppani: “Tirano will host the Alpine Culture Festival with great pleasure and honor. Obviously, it is an event we look forward to with great enthusiasm as it will be the culmination of a long journey carried out by a working group composed of two Mountain Communities. The event will be an opportunity to celebrate our traditions, our cultural riches, and our know-how. Among the most important themes, sustainability, sustainable tourism, and Tirano will strive to belong to the Italian network of Slow cities.”

Councilor for Culture of the Municipality of Tirano Isabella Landi Ciapponi: «For this important event, we need the participation of the communities to enhance the territories. Therefore, we look forward to applications from artists, musicians, artisans, farmers, and especially young people».