The five days of Clusone: from 13 to 17 July comes the Mountain Festival

by Giambattista Gherardi

A calendar full of debates, films, presentations and performances dedicated to the mountains, on the slopes of the Presolana. The five days of events (from Wednesday 13 to Sunday 17 July) that characterize the first edition of the Mountain Festival in Clusone, in Alta Val Seriana, are announced as a winning pokerissimo. Sponsored by the main territorial bodies (Region, Province, Municipality of Clusone, Comunità Montana Valle Seriana, BIM Consortium and National Alpine and Speleological Rescue Corps), the event brings together the different realities in the control room through the Association “Montagna da Vivere” associative and promotional activities of the territory.

Clusone seen from above (photo visitclusone.it)

«Clusone – underlines the mayor Massimo Morstabilini – owes its name to its geographical location in the context of the Orobic massif, as a “city embraced by the mountains”. From the effort of the Montagna da Vivere Association an initiative was born that brings together important institutional partners but above all the precious associations of our territory. The ability to move as a roped party also in this case allows you to reach the highest peaks. The rich calendar of connected events demonstrates this and wants to look at the mountains as a territory that lives at 360 °. The same effort must be ours, to pass the baton from generation to generation. Faced with some undoubted difficulties compared to the main urban capitals, we can boast an unparalleled quality of life not only for the environmental aspect, increasingly in the heart of the new generations, but also for the whole network of human relationships of family, friendship and associations. which are part of the mountain culture, a culture of true relationships ».

It starts in Corte Sant’Anna on Wednesday 13 July, at 9 pm, with the inaugural event of which the regional councilor for tourism (and alpine ski champion) will be the godmother Lara Magoni. The artistic performance of Franca Trussardi (soprano), Cinzia Picinali (mezzo soprano) e Natalia Ratti (piano) and the presentation of the photographic exhibitions “Segni e Sogni d’alpe” by Marco Mazzoleni (until 31 August in the Museum of the Basilica) and “Lo Stambecco on the Orobie Alps” (edited by Cai Clusone) thanks to the editor of the magazine Orobie, Paolo Confalonieri. Space also for some active protagonists, with the men and women of the Alpine Rescue working on the theme “Safety in the mountains”, the presentation of Enjoyski’s “Mountain for all” project and the meeting with the mountaineer Mario Curnisauthor of the book Eighteen Chestnuts, the mountains, the woods, happinesspublished by Rizzoli.

The church of the Holy Trinity on the Crosio hill (photo gasky)

Also noteworthy is the exhibition “A story to tell”, set up in the rooms of Piazza Orologio (until 9 October) and dedicated to the 70-year history of the Clusone Ski Club 13. Thursday 14 July will be the Day of the Shops, entirely dedicated to the village shops “social centers”. From 5 pm, in Corte Sant’Anna, the LAG Valle Seriana and Laghi Bergamaschi will present the project “A mountain of shops”, interacting with Giovanni Teneggi, expert in policies and territorial development. The works of the schools carried out in collaboration with the Sotto Sopra Cooperative will be presented. At 9 pm the film will be shown The Traversiadi dedicated to five trips (plus one) on skis on the edge of the Orobie. Present the protagonists Maurizio Panseri And Alberto Valtellina.

Promoserio will present the research and mapping project of the intangible heritage of the City of Clusone, also proposing the documentary dedicated to the birth and history of the Cai Rino Olmo section. Friday 15 July will be the turn of the projects Orobikeando (LAG Valle Seriana and Laghi Bergamaschi), Malga Amica and VieBike Orobie (Orobiestyle) and of the “Corto in Corte” screenings (short films dedicated to lakes, waterfalls and streams with the Consulta dei Giovani) and Highlands between Val Seriana and Alto Sebinodocufilm edited by the University of Bergamo and the Lelio Pagani Center for Studies on the Territory.

Saturday 16 July, at 4 pm, in the Museum of the Basilica it will be the turn of the presentation, coordinated by Paolo Confalonieriof the Path of the Alta Via delle Grazie (www.altaviadellegrazie.com), which combines spirituality, nature, culture and hospitality along 294 kilometers and 13 stages. At 9 pm in the Corte Sant’Anna performance of the Idica Choir, which commemorates the 65th anniversary of its foundation by offering the pieces of the master and founder Kurt Dubiensky. On the same evening, the alpinist Maurizio Agazzi will propose “The treasure chest of the Orobie Alps: tales of stories and stories to tell”, before being awarded by Banca Bcc Milano, main sponsor of the event.

Sunday 17 July the grand finale with meeting at 8 at the Presolana Pass (Castione) for the Mountain Festival. We will leave for the Olmo Refuge for the inauguration of the renovation works promoted by Cai Clusone. At 11 am mass and, to follow, lunch with the typical products of the Valley. On the way back, stop at Malga Presolana, with a snack offered by the Fabrizio Morstabilini farm and cheered on the accordion of “I Vilan”.

Also noteworthy are the themed initiatives of local traders, the menus of “Mountain cuisine” offered by restaurateurs, skiing for children (from 14 to 16 July in Piazza Della Rocca) on the Neveplast artificial slope, with animation by Sci Club 13 and Enjoyski in collaboration with Montepora. At the Nastro Azzurro Park in via Clara Maffei on July 16 (from 10 to 12 and from 15 to 19) the Climbing Inflatable will be open, proposed by Cai Rino Olmo to offer fun in safety.

Finally, there is a side initiative that will leave Clusone with a sign of sustainability: the Colle Crosio cleaning day proposed by the “TuttiperTutti” association, to share new friends and, of course, the passion for the mountains. All info are on www.montagnadavivere.eu.

The five days of Clusone: from 13 to 17 July comes the Mountain Festival – Prima Bergamo