VAL DI FEIMME: WHERE THE OLYMPICS BECOME A SPECTACLE 

From 6 to 22 February, Val di Fiemme staged an extraordinary programme of events alongside the Winter Olympic Games: 12 concerts, 2 fan parades, 7 DJ sets, 5 live shows, giant screens and spectacular special effects. Five exhibitions were also dedicated to the five Olympic Rings. The many events were organised primarily by APT Fiemme Cembra and the municipalities of Val di Fiemme, in collaboration with the Autonomous Province of Trento.

For Val di Fiemme, it was a record-breaking season of major events. The occasion of the Winter Olympic Games, held from 6 to 22 February, sparked an intense calendar of side events featuring important names from the music world.

More than 20 events filled squares, halls and theatres during the 17 days of competition. The Olympic arena of Val di Fiemme became the stage for spectacular shows, including the impressive Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Games.

And while gold, silver and bronze medals were being won in the competition venues, every event became an opportunity to celebrate both the Italian athletes and their international rivals in true Olympic spirit.

Events in Cavalese

The Palafiemme Arena in Cavalese hosted “Musicae Loci”, the concert by Max Gazzè, on Saturday 14 February. The Italian singer-songwriter, bassist and actor blended his repertoire with the folk sounds of the Orchestra Popolare del Saltarello, accompanied by the choreography of two dancers. The audience rose to its feet to dance and sing along in an explosion of energy.

On Friday 20 February, also at Palafiemme, singer-songwriter Nina Zilli took to the stage with the best of her soul, pop and reggae repertoire. Accompanied by her band, she immersed herself in the Olympic atmosphere with costume changes, ironic sketches and long rounds of applause.

During the Olympic Games, Cavalese also dedicated two important concerts to classical music. On 7 February, Palafiemme hosted the renowned all-female string quartet Alter Echo, while on 11 February the Haydn Orchestra of Bolzano and Trento performed for the audience.

Events in Predazzo

Two Fan Parades filled the streets of Predazzo with sound, colour and Olympic values. Choirs, costumes and flags from Italian and international fan clubs paraded through the town together with local sports groups and cheerful mascots. The first Fan Parade, on Sunday 8 February, was led by the choreographies and rhythms of the Lake Funk Street Band, while the second parade on 15 February featured the Banda Civica E. Bernardi of Predazzo in carnival costumes.

On 13 February, Evi Mair brought the magic of jazz to the Olympic stage with her concert at the Sporting Center in Predazzo.

In the town square on Sunday 15 February, Love Generation 90 revived the carefree atmosphere of the 1990s with dancing, smoke effects, flames and showers of confetti. Then, on 18 February, sound, movement, light and Olympic spirit merged into a single multisensory experience with the performance Fiat Lux by Pentagramma Winds, directed by Roberto Silvagni.

On 19 February, “Noi che siamo gli anni ’80 ’90 2000” brought Ivana Spagna to the stage for an engaging show featuring giant-screen visuals, music and special effects. During the open-air event, supported by Grana Padano, official sponsor of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Games, an enthusiastic crowd danced and sang together with the artist.

Predazzo’s Olympic fan zone also hosted DJ sets and concerts by internationally known performers such as the acclaimed boy band Mountain Crew, famous radio host Paolo Noise, energetic DJ Shany and the duo Simon & Mac, who enchanted the audience with electric sounds, an ancient accordion and an alpine horn.

There was also an opportunity to relive a musical legend. On Saturday 21 February, the Queenmania Tribute Band paid homage to Freddie Mercury at the Sporting Center in Predazzo.

Events in Tesero

Mountain choirs also embraced the Olympic spirit. One of the world’s finest alpine choirs, the Coro della SAT, moved the audience on Thursday 12 February during the year of its centenary celebrations.

On 15 February, the Ziganoff Jazzmer Band with Heidi Clementi surprised audiences at the Theatre of Tesero with an original blend of klezmer music and yodelling.

The following day, the audience warmly applauded the concert by the Conservatory of Trento and Riva del Garda.

Alpine singing traditions were celebrated once again on 17 February at the Theatre of Tesero by four choirs from the villages of the Magnifica Comunità di Fiemme: Coro Genzianella of Tesero, Coro Rio Bianco of Panchià, Coro Negritella of Predazzo and Coro Enrosadira of Moena.

The final spectacular highlight began in Tesero itself.

On Sunday 22 February, after the parade of the Banda Storta through the village streets, a drone show lit up the sky above Piazza Cesare Battisti. A fleet of 300 drones created luminous choreographies featuring figures, symbols and messages dedicated to the Olympic Games, peace, Tesero and Val di Fiemme, celebrating both the sporting and musical identity of the region through references to the famous Forest of Violins.

The audience was left amazed before following the official Closing Ceremony of the Verona Olympic Arena on giant screens set up in the squares of Cavalese, Tesero and Predazzo.

Special Effects in Castello di Fiemme and on the Lavazé Plateau

Creativity and multimedia art also played a major role during the Games.

In the square of Castello di Fiemme, a giant screen projected a video dedicated to Franco Nones, the first Italian Olympic cross-country skiing champion and a legendary figure in Val di Fiemme sport history. The video featured his memories of winning gold in the 30 km race at the 1968 Grenoble Winter Olympics, together with emotional images from the major sporting events hosted in Val di Fiemme.

Meanwhile, on the Lavazé Plateau, next to the Cross-Country Ski Centre, a snow sculpture dedicated to the Olympic Games in Val di Fiemme became a favourite attraction for selfies.

Five Exhibitions for the Five Rings

Art, culture, sports history and tradition also found their place within the Olympic events programme.

At Villa Flora in Ziano di Fiemme, the exhibition “Olympic and Sporting Wonders: From Garmisch 1936 to Fiemme 2013” offered visitors a fascinating journey through sports history.

In Tesero, the exhibition “Nativity Scenes from the Five Continents” at Casa Jellici showcased cultural treasures from around the world.

Cavalese hosted three exhibitions: “War Peaks, Olympic Peaks” at Casa Bertelli; “There is so much we can learn from the sun” by Marinella Senatore at the Museum of Contemporary Art; and the permanent open-air exhibition “The Values of Olympism and Nordic Disciplines in Val di Fiemme” at the Betulle Garden.

At the close of the Olympic Games, the organisers from APT Fiemme Cembra and the municipalities of Predazzo, Tesero and Cavalese, working together with the Autonomous Province of Trento, could also celebrate their success.

This “parallel Olympics” dedicated to entertainment passed its test brilliantly. No medals were awarded, but among organisers and professionals there was a strong sense of satisfaction for the outstanding results achieved through the many Olympic events.