Naz-Sciaves Blossom Festival

More than two decades ago, a royal festival was launched in Naz-Sciaves, the high plateau near Bressanone in the Valle Isarco. The "Largest Gathering of Royalty in South Tyrol" united the Apple Queen and other crowned heads representing agricultural products from near and far in the village every 1st of May. On this day, high-quality farm products are still celebrated just as much as the apple blossom, which transforms the high plateau into a sea of blossoms in spring.

Only the name has changed: The event is now called the Blossom Festival, or Blütenfest. The Apple Queen visits here, as do selected product queens from home and abroad, including the Bavarian Wheat Queen, the Gerolsbach Blossom Princess, the Rose Queen of Nalles and the Abensberg Asparagus Queen. The morning and afternoon feature the parade at the start of the festival, performances by the "Schuhplattler" folk dance group, a traditional morning pint and the gourmet mile, while the supporting programme with hikes extends over the entire week.

The South Tyrolean Blossom Pleasure Weeks also take place for a month around the Naz-Sciaves Blossom Festival: Local establishments invite guests to enjoy fresh, light dishes made with flowers and herbs. Incidentally, the Apple Queen of Naz-Sciaves is always crowned at the Apple Festival, the traditional festival in the Isarco Valley after the apple harvest in October.