St. Nicholas and the krampus

On 5th December

This is an event taking place each winter on December 5th in Tarvisio and its surrounding towns which – even through modern information technology - can hardly be described  with words ... Yon should simply experience this feast with its sounds and unique atmosphere. 

At sunset, when the landscape takes on the intensive dawn colours, through the streets of Tarvisio you start hearing the sound of “A night on the Mount Calvo” by Mussorgsky ... This is the music background of the big Parade of the St. Nicholas (Heiliger  Nikolò) and the Krampus, men dressed up as devils. The  smoke of the torches they hold in their hands light up the darkness, while screaming kids and teenagers joyfully run back and forth trying to escape from them. Chaos is reigning in these moments ... 

This loud, scary and sinister parade, whose origins are not traceable, characterizes the first part of the parade. The Krampus throw these torches into a big bonfire on the main square of Tarvisio and vehemently react to all provocations by the kids and teenagers. The culminating point of the feast begins now: the Nikolò with his long beard appears on a horse pulled carriage or a sleigh: he speaks to the children and visits the houses, giving  presents (mainly sweets, dried fruits and the typical Krampus bread with raisins) to those who behaved well during the past year. Elsewise he rants them affectionately and gives them the typical “sugar coal” instead of presents. In the meantime the Krampus run into the crowd with their loud bells and chains. What an impressive spectacle! The runs and hunts last quite long through the evening. Then all of a sudden  everything ends. The steams of the fire cover and enfold the whole scenery and suddenly no Krampus is to be seen along the streets of Tarvisio.

The Krampus come on the 5th of December at sunset and the Nikolò Parade starts at about 5 p.m. The most famous ones are those of Tarvisio, Malborghetto, Cave del Predil and Rutte Piccolo. In the latter two the time table may slightly change, so please check them personally.