report: Nastassja Martin
interview: Serena Tonel, Deputy Mayor of Trieste and Councillor for Economic Policies; Nadia Bellina, President of the local business consortium Consorzio Centro in Via – Insieme a Opicina – Skupaj na Opčinah
The hilltop village of Opicina will once again transform into a pedestrian-friendly cultural hub on July 10 as it hosts the 16th edition of Scopri Opicina… una sera d’estate (“Discover Opicina… a Summer Evening”), an annual festival featuring live music, shopping, sports demonstrations and family activities.
The centerpiece of the event will see the village center closed to traffic from 7 p.m. to midnight, allowing visitors to stroll through the streets while local businesses remain open until 11 p.m. for summer sales. The program includes performances by the Banda Berimbau marching band, children’s entertainment, a giant chessboard, food tastings, kickboxing and cheerleading exhibitions, and displays of Trieste’s historic tram.
The festival extends beyond its main evening with guided tours of Opicina’s historic bunkers and German military cemetery on July 7, 10 and 12, an amateur bridge tournament, the Infiorata flower competition awards on July 12, a free brass concert by musicians from the Verdi Theatre on July 17, and an antiques and artisan market on July 25.
Organized by local businesses in partnership with the City of Trieste and regional institutions, the event aims to promote Opicina’s commercial activity and showcase the traditions of the Karst village to residents and visitors alike.
