Harvest Festival in the Valley of Mountain Huts

Harvest Festival is celebrated across SalzburgerLand during harvest time. The 3 pillars of Harvest Festival are delicious natural foods from Salzburg, specialties from local farms, along with regional folk customs and culture. It is a way to keep traditions, local heritage and ancient crafts alive and well. 

Join us as we celebrate numerous autumn festivities and sample mouth-watering foods at participating Harvest Festival eateries. Country fairs, hill festivals, heritage evenings and parades are the major event highlights during Harvest Festival in Grossarltal. Incidentally: Autumn is also the most beautiful hiking season in our Valley of Mountain Huts, when the views here are practically endless.

To the alp returning
To Thanksgiving
To the events during Harvest Festival

According to tradition, the alp returning in Grossarltal only takes place if there was no misfortune during summer. That means, that no animals as well as no members of the family came to harm. If this is the case, girdles of flowers, "Schnuraus" and schnaps are prepared. "Schnuraus" are small shortcrust cookies, which are only produced for the alp returning.

On the day of the alp returning, the cows get decorated with the girdles of flowers and beautiful cowbells. Every farmer has its own tradition of making the girdles of flowers. The people from the mountain hut bring the cows back home to the farm. During their way they distribute "Schnuraus" and schnaps to the passing people.

Therefore, there is no regular alp returning in Grossarltal. It depends on fortune of each farmer and on weather. If you are lucky, you see an alp returning in Grossarltal.

Thanksgiving in Grossarl (end of September) and in Hüttschlag (in early October) is a great festival every year. The Harvest Crown is produced out of different grains. Besides the Harvest Crown, there are local delicacies on the Harvest Carriage. This is drawn by horses accompanied by local associations. If the weather is good, the church service takes place in the nature, otherwise it is in the churches.

Afterwards, the Festival of St Rupert takes place in Grossarl. You get spoiled with delicacies. Traditional musicians and singers make the afternoon more pleasant.