TRADITIONS OF SONDRIO
Carnival of Livigno
Livigno
February 3rd-6th, 8th
Livigno on February 3rd-6th and 8th renews the appointment with one of its more folkloristic manifestations, the Carnival, rich of appointments with ancient traditions, old customs and typical costumes of
Livigno that involve not only young people but also the adults. The manifestation is the result of a grip collaboration between social associations of category and social and sport groups and includes a typical sledge rage of boys, the parallel Slalom and the Ski of age, one of the various moments of challenge valid for the "Trophy of Contrade , where the contrades
"Trepall", "Struzz", "Spazzone" and
"Rana" compete, the fascinating Paraded of the wagons along the ways of the country, the attended Masked dance with the prize-giving of the "TROPHY OF CONTRADE" and the "TROPHY OF JUNIOR CONTRADE".
Art In Ice
Livigno
From December 1st to 5th As every winter, with the snow, Art In Ice, the international competition of snow sculptures, returns to
Livigno. The snow-covered fields near the inhabited center will be transformed in an evocative laboratory where the snow will take life transforming itself in sculptures with incredible shapes. Art In Ice is also a way to recall ancient local traditions, when the populations of valley impressed in the snow the mangers of Christmas beside their own room.
"Sunà da mars"
Aprica
Last three days of February
The tradition of the
"Sunà da mars", literally "March playing", renews a custom present also in other localities of the
Valtellina. Adults and boys cover the ways of the country shaking frantically the bells of the animals to wake the Spring. Elsewhere the ritual is called "calling the grass" and joins traditional customs that invite the grass to dull. At the end of the three days "mach", a food prepared in every district by "macachi" with that the families have given to the boys, is consumed.
The "Paschal"
Bormio
Sunday of Easter
The paschal are great allegorical constructions renewed every year, that are carried on shoulder by groups of young people dressed secondin accordance with the ancient festive custom of the shepherds. At the parade also other shepherds participate who bring as offering some lambs adorned with tapes. When the parade ends, the Paschal stop at the main public square where they are blessed; in the evening the prize-giving takes place.
Old Carnival
Grosio
First Sunday of Lent
The carnival ends in the first Sunday of Lent. The
corteo, composed by satirical wagons, realized with minimal means, is opened with some typical masks of the ancient alpine traditions, like the Old man and the Old lady, the Spouses, the Bear that attacks the people of the public, held with difficulty by the Tamer, and some particolar and ingenious double figures in which a personage looks transporting with difficulty an other one in a basket: in truth it's only a person who walks being in the sashed basket, while the other is a puppet fixed frontally. The parade is concluded with a bonfire.
