The last weekend of October moves at the unhurried pace of high autumn. On Sunday 25 the clocks go back and darkness falls early: it is a weekend of chestnuts in Pedavena, of stories told in village squares and of mountain evenings in the Alpago, where on Saturday Kristin Harila arrives, the mountaineer who climbed all fourteen eight-thousanders in 92 days. In Belluno, Tracce di Foliage closes with a garden concert, on the Nevegàl you can walk out to meet the full moon, and in Tisoi runners take on the Gosèr Trail. In the Agordino, Cencenighe fills three days with readings, mountain photography and memories of emigration.
We checked every event against the organisers’ own sources on 21 October. In autumn, times and programmes change easily: before setting off, check the event page and book where needed.
Belluno and the Valbelluna
On Saturday 24 at 4:30 pm the meeting point is Belluno station for “Muli, cavalli e draghi” (Mules, horses and dragons), the Veneto Spettacoli di Mistero theatrical tour that crosses the centre on the trail of the Alpini’s mule, Saint Martin’s horse and the two dragons of the city’s coat of arms. It lasts two and a half hours; book by phone.
Sunday 25 starts early. At 9 am the eighth Gosèr Trail sets off from the Tisoi sports ground: 14 kilometres over the hills at the foot of Monte Serva, with a 5-kilometre Mini Trail for families at 9:30. Online entries are open until Saturday at noon. At the same time, from the square of San Gregorio nelle Alpi, the park guides lead a free walk to the little church of San Felice di Roncoi, with a detour into the Val Scura: 300 metres of ascent, maximum 25 people, registration required.
The afternoon offers three options. At 2:30 pm in Valmorel, the Museo Indian Village hosts a talk on Antonio Maresio Bazolle and Native Americans, with the presentation of Riccardo Pasqualin’s book. At 3 pm, in the garden of the B&B al Torrione, the Intimate Concert by Valentina Frezza and Alberto Ziliotto closes Tracce di Foliage; it is free, but the Eventbrite places were already sold out, so it is worth checking for cancellations. At 4 pm, from the La Casera car park, “Nevegàl d’argento sotto la luna piena” (Silver Nevegàl under the full moon) sets off: 4 kilometres and 300 metres of ascent between sunset and moonrise, with a head torch in your rucksack, 25 euros per person and twenty places.
The Feltre area
On Sunday 25 the 30th Festa della Castagna in Pedavena holds its final day at the Parco della Birreria, with roast chestnuts, local produce and old-fashioned games for children. Times have not yet been published: check them on the Pro Loco website. A few kilometres away, at 3 pm, the Pro Loco of Soranzen takes “Al porzel de Sant Antoni” through the village streets, the free travelling show about the miraculous piglet.
In Feltre, the exhibition Nostro Fratello d’Assisi, san Francesco a fumetti (Saint Francis in comics) stays open all October at the Oratorio dell’Annunziata.
Alpago
“Chies e le sue montagne” (Chies and its mountains), the series run by the Comitato Alpago 2 Ruote & Solidarietà, has its most eagerly awaited evenings this weekend. On Friday 23 at 8:30 pm, at the Locanda Zardìn, Gianni De Zaiacomo and Alessio Voltan talk about paragliding over the mountains of the Conca and the Dolomites. On Saturday 24 at 5:30 pm, at the Polifunzionale di San Martino, Kristin Harila presents “Vittoria e tragedia” (Victory and tragedy): the record of the 14 eight-thousanders, the death of Sherpa Tenjen “Lama” and the criticism of her style. Tickets cost 15 euros on Eventbrite; after the talk there is a food stand with music.
Agordino
In Cencenighe Agordino the weekend is packed. On Friday 23, from 5:30 pm, the council hall hosts “Un viaggio tra le storie” (A journey through stories), a free reading marathon with the library and Il Libro Parlato. On Saturday 24 at 8:30 pm, in the same hall, the Circolo Fotografico Agordino presents “Mountains Dreams”, a photography evening with Javier Comacho Gimeno. Sunday 25 is the Giornata della Famiglia Ex Emigranti Agordino, the day for the Agordino’s former emigrants: Mass at 10:30 am with the Coro Val Biois, a tribute at the emigrant monument, songs and a lunch open to all in Listolade (45 euros, booking required).
Just over the border
Friday 23, from 2 pm to 8 pm, is the last chance to see Venti di Chimere at the Galleria GACMA in Cappella Maggiore, in the province of Treviso: paintings by Manola Fava, poems and ceramics by Veronica Santagostino B., free admission.
Exhibitions open all weekend
- Dino Buzzati: sentirsi portato dal vento, Belluno Civic Library at Palazzo Crepadona: until 1 November
- Nostro Fratello d’Assisi, Oratorio dell’Annunziata, Feltre: until 31 October
- Venti di Chimere, Cappella Maggiore: Friday 23 only, last day
Practical information
- Clocks go back: on the night between Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 October, Italy returns to winter time. On Sunday the sun sets at around 5 pm: you will need a torch for the afternoon hikes.
- Bookings: required for San Felice and for the moonlit Nevegàl hike, recommended for “Muli, cavalli e draghi”, necessary for the Cencenighe lunch. Tickets for Kristin Harila are sold on Eventbrite.
- Gosèr Trail entries: online until Saturday 24 at 12 noon; after that, if race numbers remain, on site on Saturday from 6 pm to 8 pm and on Sunday morning.
If you’re looking for…
Something to do with children
The Gosèr Mini Trail, the free walk to San Felice from the “with mum and dad” programme, the roast chestnuts of Pedavena and the piglet of Soranzen. For older children, the dragons of “Muli, cavalli e draghi”.
Nature and foliage
The morning at San Felice di Roncoi, sunset on the Nevegàl; runners have the Gosèr Trail.
Mountain stories
Kristin Harila and paragliding in Chies d’Alpago, the photographs of “Mountains Dreams” in Cencenighe.
History and traditions
The Former Emigrants’ Day in Cencenighe, Bazolle and Native Americans in Valmorel, the exhibition on Dino Buzzati at Palazzo Crepadona.
An idea if it rains
The evenings in Chies and Cencenighe, the talk at the Museo Indian Village and the exhibitions in Belluno and Feltre are all indoors.
And in the days after
On Monday 26 at 8:30 pm, at the Osteria dai Tosat in Funes, “Chies e le sue montagne” continues with the Mongol Rally in a Panda from the Alpago to Ulaanbaatar. On Wednesday 28 at 8:30 pm the Teatro de la Sena in Feltre hosts “Chi ha ucciso il pianeta?” (Who killed the planet?) by Mario Tozzi and Lorenzo Baglioni, narrated by Carlo Lucarelli: 5 euros.
All the events, day by day, are in the events calendar. Last weekend’s guide is What to do in the Belluno Dolomites: 16–18 October; for a day out among the colours of the season, see the guide The Belluno Dolomites in autumn.
