Tradition and Customs

Rural regions celebrate their music bands. Lovers of wind and marching music form groups and display their talents at festivals, weddings and processions.
The passion for music in this region also brought forth numerous choirs. The most well-known and possibly the most important one of these is the church choir, which not only enhances religious festivals but also events of all kinds.

The original purpose of the processions was fervent prayer for a good and rich harvest, protection from drought, thunderstorms and other forces of nature. Processions are colourful events with flags, traditional clothes, wooden statues of saints, the music band and choirs.

In 1796, faced with the danger presented by Napoleon’s soldiers, the Tyrolean estate owners made the solemn promise to dedicate the land to “the most sacred of hearts, Jesus” and to renew this promise every year.
Andreas Hofer later renewed this vow before the battle of Mount Isel against the French and the Bavarians. Surprisingly, Hofer’s troops won and Sacred Heart Sunday was declared a high feast day. To this day mountain fires are lit on that Sunday and light up the South Tyrolean skies. Many of the fires are in the shape of a heart. Other Christian symbols, such as the cross, are also used.

The festival begins in the morning with a Service of thanksgiving. This is usually followed by concert and dance performances by local bands and folk dance groups. In some regions the top of a tree is decorated with tasty treats, which are then collected by courageous “climbers”.

The youths of the village find a tall spruce and tie “Michl”, a straw man wearing traditional clothes at the top of the tree. On a Saturday in October the tree is anchored into the ground. Once this has been accomplished, extensive celebrations follow. A team of guards carefully watches the tree at all times. If the youths from the neighbouring village succeed in stealing the Michl, the village is ridiculed and mocked. On the Sunday the church bells ring out and the tree is taken down.

St. Nicholas, who brings small gifts, was a later addition.
On 6 December St. Nicholas goes from house to house accompanied by an angel, a Krampus and an announcer. St. Nicholas usually wears a long white beard, a red tiara, a long coat and a bishop's crook.