During the long Immaculate Conception holiday weekend, the village of Santa Massenza, in Vallelaghi, becomes the vibrant heart of the celebration of traditional Trentino grappa, offering visitors and enthusiasts a unique immersive experience combining tradition, culture, and live performance.
As per tradition, the event is enriched by the performances of the Koinè Theatre Company, guiding the audience through an itinerant narrative journey along the streets of the village and inside its historic distilleries.
Santa Massenza: the Capital of Artisanal Grappa
Trentino preserves a rich heritage of ancient traditions, passed down through generations, especially within small communities. In this context, Santa Massenza, a village of just over one hundred inhabitants, represents a true excellence: it is recognized as the “Capital of Artisanal Grappa.”
Within a very small area, five family-run artisanal distilleries operate side by side, heirs to a tradition that, until the 1980s, counted thirteen active distilleries. This rare concentration, unique in Italy, represents an invaluable cultural and historical heritage.
An experience between theatre, distilleries and tastings
The event is designed for connoisseurs, enthusiasts, and curious visitors eager to discover the culture of grappa in the very place where it is produced.
Over three days, the Koinè Theatre Company stages six itinerant performances (two per day). The audience is divided into five groups of up to 40 people each (up to 200 participants per show) and guided along the route with radio headsets.
The narration is led by Patrizio Roversi, who accompanies visitors through the village stages.
The performance route
Each group experiences an immersive itinerary through the five historic distilleries of Santa Massenza, transformed into theatrical stages for the occasion. Each stop hosts a different episode of the performance, dedicated to a specific aspect of the distillation tradition.
The experience includes:
- visit to the five distilleries
- five itinerant theatrical episodes
- grappa tastings along the route
- guided experience with radio headsets
Final scene: the “grappa vortex”
The event concludes in the village square of Santa Massenza, where all groups gather for the final collective scene.
Here, the famous “grappa vortex” is performed: a symbolic and spectacular moment celebrating the identity of the village and its distillation heritage, closing the experience in a unique and evocative atmosphere.
General information
- Location: Santa Massenza, Valle dei Laghi (TN), Italy
- Dates: 5–6–7–8 December 2026
- Type of event: itinerant theatre performance with tastings
- Duration: approx. 2 hours
- Format: guided tour with radio headsets
Show times
- 5 December: 9:00 PM
- 6 December: 5:00 PM and 9:00 PM
- 7 December: 5:00 PM and 9:00 PM
- 8 December: 5:00 PM
Tickets
- Adults: €18.00
- Children 6–18 years: €12.00
- Children under 6: free (reservation required)
What’s included
- Entry to the itinerant performance
- Radio headset
- Glass for tastings
- Grappa and local food tastings along the route
Booking and check-in
- Mandatory booking (online up to 1 hour before the show or until sold out)
- Collection of headset and glass: at the former rectory (ex Canonica)
- Arrival: at least 1 hour before the show
Route highlights
- Check-in at ex Canonica
- Meeting in Piazza S. Vigilio with hosts and distillers
- Itinerant performance in 5 distilleries
- Episodes of approx. 20 minutes each
- Grappa and traditional sweet tastings
- Group rotation between distilleries
- Final tasting in the square (“turbinio”)
Distilleries & food points
- Antica Distilleria Giovanni Poli (ex Lorenzin)
- Distilleria Francesco
Parking
- 30 parking spaces in the village
- 200 parking spaces at the Hydroelectric Plant (entrance of the village)
Traffic
- Internal village roads closed during the event
Information
Santa Massenza Cultural Association – “Piccola Nizza de Trent”
Phone: +39 328 8694616
