Events in Bozen und Umgebung

Was the Seceda “fish lizard” a dinosaur, a fish, or a marine reptile? And how is it possible that it was found at an altitude of 2,500 meters? These and other questions are answered by Claudia Urthaler and Sara Welponer in a children’s book that will be presented on November 29 at the South Tyrol Museum of Nature.

In 1968, Johann Comploj and Mainhard Strobl discovered the partial skeleton of an ancient marine creature on the Seceda in Val Gardena: a fish-like reptile, between six and ten meters long, with a mouth full of sharp teeth. After detailed scientific examination, researchers identified it as an ichthyosaur—a marine reptile that lived about 241 million years ago in the ancient Tethys Ocean, where it thrived for more than 100 million years. Today, the fossil is on display at the Gherdëina Museum in Ortisei.

Sara Welponer and Claudia Urthaler wrote a book about this remarkable find. The trilingual publication—in Ladin, German, and Italian—is titled “L’itiosaur de Secëda. Der Fischsaurier der Seceda. L’ittiosauro del Seceda” and will be presented on Saturday, November 29 at 3 p.m. at the South Tyrol Museum of Nature. Admission is free, but registration is required on the museum’s website at:
https://app.no-q.info/naturmuseum-sudtirol/events/course/548268

Immerse yourself in the magical world of the Christmas Market, full of lights, scents, flavours and colours – an enchanting atmosphere that will accompany you throughout the festive season. The associations, craftsmen and hobbyists of Laives/Leifers will present their creations and artistic wonders. Amid festive melodies, visitors can savour carefully prepared specialities and enjoy a rich supporting programme featuring the nativity trail, a live nativity scene and art exhibitions. Magical Christmas concerts offer moments of serenity and lend the market a truly special charm. Gastronomy booths: Sat 10-22, Sun & 8.12. 10-20 Other booths: 10-20 Programme: www.laives-info.it/laives-christmas-market

Our Christmas market, the Alpine Advent Sarntal Valley, is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. This year in Val Sarentino, the visitors of our Christmas street market will be enchanted by a myriad of Christmas trees. 20 wooden stands will display the traditional, handcrafted and unique products made in Val Sarentino, while the food and wine stands will offer local goodies such as sweet and airy Krapfen, Striezl (Sarentino-style fried bread) and rye bread. The Christmassy feeling will be heightened by music bands and carol singers and in addition there will be a hands-on workshop and animation shows for the children.

During Advent, the Christmas Market takes place at Piazza San Giacomo square on Saturdays and Sundays, as well as on 8 December, featuring stalls with local handicrafts and culinary delicacies.

Singing Connects - SINGKREIS RUNKELSTEIN

Dear friends of the Singkreis Runkelstein,
With the traditional Advent concert, we close the circle of our anniversary year "60 years of Singkreis Runkelstein." It is our great pleasure to invite you warmly. With atmospheric songs and instrumental pieces by the Pichler Family Music and our own Advent melodies, we wish to musically open this reflective time.

Performers:
» Pichler Family Music
» SINGKREIS RUNKELSTEIN
» Overall direction: Rupert Ploner

Entry: Voluntary donation

The shops in Laives/Leifers decorate their shop windows with the self-made and handmade nativity scenes of the association "Leiferer Krippenfreunde". The route of the Nativity Scene Trail and the list of participating shops can be found at www.facebook.com/presepelaives

During the Bolzano Christmas Market music bands and singing groups will cheer the time with Christmas music.

During the Bolzano Christmas Market music bands and singing groups will cheer the time with Christmas music.

During the Bolzano Christmas Market music bands and singing groups will cheer the time with Christmas music.

with the string orchestra Arcana in the Common Oberbozen at 5 p.m. Works by: G.B. Sammartini, O. Respighi, L.E. Larsson, G. Holst, J. Rutter. Soloist: Egon Lardschneider, horn. Conductor: Paul Bozzetta. A passionate amateur violinist’s request for a string ensemble inspired Lilly Osann to establish a string orchestra. In spring 2022, a dedicated group of ambitious amateurs from various professions and age groups came together. Most of them had learned to play their instrument in their youth, and all share a love for music and the joy of making music together. The Arcana String Orchestra is conducted by Lilly Osann, former violinist of the Düsseldorf Symphony Orchestra (1992–1997), the Haydn Orchestra of Bolzano & Trento, and the Bolzano String Academy. She shares the musical leadership with Paul Bozzetta, a trombonist with conducting training under H. Obkircher, E. von Marschall (Düsseldorf), and G. Buitenhuis (Enschede, NL), with extensive experience as a conductor for various musical ensembles and bands.

Contributors are the St. Nikolaus Afing Church Choir, MirStimmen, 4Clarissimi, and Young Beats. The church choir would be happy to receive a voluntary donation.

Christmas market in Flaas/Jenesien Visit our Christmas market with particular flair and many handmade products!

During the Bolzano Christmas Market, bands and musical groups will brighten the days with traditional Christmas melodies.
Taking part as well are the choirs of the Parish of St. Augustine, the church located in the Gries district, bringing a warm and authentic atmosphere to accompany visitors into the spirit of Advent.

Glühwein (mulled wine) stand directly at the village center of Valas.

Advent concert by the Ritten-Sarntal Music School in the parish church of Oberinn at 6 p.m

María Grand & Maya Keren (CH/USA) María Grand: sax Maya Keren: piano A major all-female encounter between Geneva-born saxophonist, singer, and composer María Grand and emerging pianist Maya Keren, originally from Philadelphia and now based in Brooklyn. The compositions, almost entirely original, weave together free improvisations and hyper-precisely written music: some inspired by María’s exploration of the human subconscious, others born from purely mathematical ideas, creating a virtuosic sound reminiscent of classic “straight ahead” jazz. The duo tells stories of modern women with ancient roots, capable of unfolding in real time and revealing archetypes and futuristic wonders. The goal is never to play “correctly,” but to give free rein to experience, with all the risks and pleasures that come with it. Above all, the music focuses on what touches the human: sincere, intense, and intentional. Event: Monday, December 1, 2025, at Piccolo Teatro Carambolage, starting at 8:00 PM. www.mariakimgrand.com www.mayakerenmusic.com

During the Advent season, handmade nativity scenes built inside apple crates are displayed in various locations throughout Vadena. They were created by local associations in collaboration with the Department of Culture of the Municipality of Vadena.

Nativity scene in Vadena Nuova, created by VKE Vadena

Nativity scene in front of the municipal building entrance at Vadena Centro 111, created by the kindergarten

Nativity scene in Via Masetta 7, created by the association Fátena

Nativity scene at the cemetery, created by Associazione Anziani Vadena

Nativity scene in Via Caneve, created by Giulia Bucci

Nativity scene in Birti, created by Lettera7

The nativity scene trail can be admired from 1 December to 6 January.

Guided tour to the Obermiglerhof with panoramic views of Bolzano. Duration: 2.5 hours. Price: € 45 per person, € 90 per family (with Ritten Card € 40 or € 85). Meeting point at the Kaserhof in Oberbozen. A nature experience for all age groups. An eventful hike accompanied by friendly animals. Technically easy – suitable for beginners. The trail is stroller-friendly. Slow down & connect with animals – escape daily stress and enjoy the calming presence of llamas and alpacas. Small groups (limited to 20 participants). No special requirements necessary. Registration required until the day before: info@kaserhof.it Individual trekking tours for Saturday & Sunday are possible by arrangement

Guest of the 17th Moontalk at the Luna Bar in the Parkhotel Mondschein in Bolzano is Anna Frabotta — journalist, lecturer, and entrepreneur with an unwavering passion for independent publishing. In 2019 she founded Frab’s Magazine & More, dedicating herself to spreading independent magazine culture in Italy and beyond. Her carefully curated catalogue now includes around a thousand international titles. She also teaches Fashion Publishing at the Istituto Europeo di Design in Milan. Since 2023, Anna has been the driving force and artistic director of Mag to Mag, the first and only European festival dedicated exclusively to magazines and journals. Since 2025, Mag to Mag has also become a print magazine focused on niche and periodical culture. And since 2024, Frab’s has expanded from an online shop into a physical space in Milan’s Porta Venezia district — a bright, open venue where magazines meet people and ideas, and where collaborations begin with partners from fashion and art, including Pitti Immagine, Aspesi, Golden Goose, Milano Design Week, Agorà Design Festival, and ArtVerona. In a conversation in Italian with Moreno Trisotto - communications expert, publishing connoisseur, and lover of design and literature - Anna Frabotta takes us into the universe of Frab’s Magazine & More, sharing the joys, challenges, and bold risks of independent publishing as an act of cultural resistance.

Guided tour through the surrounding woods in the area around the Kaserhof in Oberbozen. Duration: 1.5 hours. Price: € 35 per person, € 80 per family (with Ritten Card € 30 or € 75). Meeting point at the Kaserhof in Oberbozen. Special features: For young & old: a nature experience for all ages. Adventurous hike with animal companions. Technically easy: also suitable for inexperienced hikers. Deceleration & animal contact: escape the stress of everyday life & enjoy the calming presence of the alpacas. Small groups (limited number of participants). No special requirements necessary. Registration required until the day before: T +39 378 066 5191 info@kaserhof.it Individual trekking tours for Saturday & Sunday are possible by arrangement

The Bolzano Concert Association is one of the oldest music organisers in Tyrol. It goes back to the Bolzano Music Society, which has been instrumental in the musical development of Bolzano since 1855. Since its foundation in 1855, its aim has been to organise an annual season of first-class classical music concerts in Bolzano almost without interruption.

Elena-Maria Knapp & Katarina Hauser (A): “KEIN.MUTTER.LAND“ If women don’t become mothers and mothers can’t cope – a performance by Julia Jenewein Motherhood is political. And so is the choice not to become a mother. From “It’ll happen sooner or later” to “You’ll regret it,” childless women or those who don’t intend to have children are often judged, while the “maternal instinct” is idealized and motherhood romanticized. With the most personal and intimate decision of their lives, women inevitably find themselves under public scrutiny, often losing their own voice. But what is motherhood really like? And what happens when one regrets becoming a mother? When one cannot become a mother, or when the biological clock doesn’t start ticking? In this performance, two women openly confront all the (often taboo) issues surrounding reproduction and the ability to give life: from mental load to “regretting motherhood,” from pregnancy (and abortion) to birth culture. An intense and provocative evening that explores everything arising from the “question of all questions”: the one about children. Event: Wednesday, December 3, 2025, at Piccolo Teatro Carambolage, starting at 8:00 PM. www.juliajenewein.com

The Konzertverein Bozen presents an evening of exceptional musical intensity with the Simply Quartet and pianist Christos Fountos, as part of the “Avvento in musica” series of the Bolzano Christmas Market. The concert will take place on Wednesday, December 3rd, 2025 at 7:30 PM in the atmospheric Theatersaal of the Walther von der Vogelweide Cultural Center, in collaboration with the Waltherhaus Cooperative. The Simply Quartet, considered one of the most compelling young string quartets of its generation, captivates with refined interpretation, tonal balance, and a strong stage presence. Joining them is Christos Fountos, a pianist celebrated for his sensitivity and expressive depth, enriching the evening with an intense musical dialogue. An unforgettable concert for chamber music enthusiasts, blending the magic of the Advent season with outstanding artistic excellence — a special experience at the heart of the Christmas period.

Christmas concert with the orchestra of the “C. Monteverdi” Conservatory of Bolzano.

During the Bolzano Christmas Market music bands and singing groups will cheer the time with Christmas music.

Guided tour to Lichtenstern with snack and breathtaking view of the Rosengarten/Schlern. Duration: 3,5 hours. Price: € 50 per person, € 100 per family (with Ritten Card € 45 or € 95). Meeting point at the Kaserhof in Oberbozen. Details: small groups (limited number of participants), good hiking shoes required, moderate technical difficulty. Registration required until the day before: info@kaserhof.it Individual trekking tours for Saturday & Sunday are possible by arrangement

Julien Cottereau (F): “Carte blanche à Julien Cottereau” He is a clown, mime, and internationally acclaimed performer. Julien Cottereau, who spent ten years on the stages of Cirque du Soleil, captivates audiences around the world with his naïve style – and last year he won the “Niederstätter surPrize 2024” at Carambolage. Without uttering a word, he recycles silence and the sounds of the world, taking the audience on a journey that invites wonder, laughter, and dreaming. His shows are a collective adventure of pure joy, where every moment is unique and surprising. Whether in the suburbs of Pointe-Noire, performing for street children in Kabul, or on the world’s grandest stages like the Sydney Opera House and the Royal Albert Hall, Cottereau enchants everywhere. He takes his audience by the hand and leads them down unexplored and interactive paths between poetry, humor, and self-irony. Let yourself be enchanted by this master of gestures and sound effects, and experience a show that will spark your imagination! Whatever he has in mind – we give him free rein: Carte blanche à Julien Cottereau. “A master of pantomime who has conquered the world.” (The Guardian) Performances: Thu 04 and Fri 05 November 2025 at the Piccolo Teatro Carambolage, 8:00 PM. www.facebook.com/juliencottereauofficiel

Join Markus Gimbel on a magical journey into his enchanting world! This is a show where you can laugh, participate, and even cast a little magic yourself. Performer: Markus Gimbel (AT/South Tyrol) For children aged: 4 and up Duration: approx. 45 minutes Start time: 5:00 PM

During the Bolzano Christmas Market music bands and singing groups will cheer the time with Christmas music.

In a valley in which dialect and garb are still alive, it is not unusual that its tradition is thoroughly cultivated. The „Klöckeln“, is a pre-Christian custom practised the first weeks of December and has an old tradition.