by Nastassja Martin
Interviews: Serena Tonel – Deputy Mayor of Trieste and Councillor for Economic Development; Alberto Giorgi – Representative of the Commerce Group of the Provincial Confcommercio Association.
Trieste will celebrate St. Martin’s Day with a week of events from Nov. 4 to 15, bringing together traditional wine festivities, markets, concerts, exhibitions and environmental activities in Servola, Prosecco and Miramare. The program also marks the 40th anniversary of the Miramare Marine Protected Area.
Servola: Markets, Music and Local Traditions
The second edition of “Aspettando San Martino” will take place Saturday, Nov. 7, beginning at noon.
The main activities will be concentrated along Via di Servola, where a street market will run from noon to 6 p.m. Children’s entertainment is scheduled from 2 to 5 p.m., followed by a performance by the Amir & Nicole acoustic duo at 3 p.m. and the Banda Refolo at 3:30 p.m.
Visitors can also explore two cultural venues from 3 to 5 p.m.: the Ethnographic Museum at Via del Pane Bianco 52 and the Ivan Grbec Cultural Association at Via di Servola 124, which will host the photography exhibition “Servola, Fragments of a Time Gone By.”
Local cafés and restaurants will serve traditional Triestine dishes. Via di Servola, between Via del Carpineto and Via Pitacco, and Via Pirandello will be closed to traffic from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Prosecco: The Traditional New Wine Procession
Celebrations in Prosecco run through Nov. 11, with the traditional amusement park open throughout the period.
On Friday, Nov. 6, an exhibition titled “Karst Textures,” featuring artists Irina Goruppi and Petra Debelis, will open at 5 p.m. at the district administrative office. An inaugural toast will follow at 6 p.m. at Casa del Prosecco, before a 8 p.m. screening of Igor Bezinović’s film “Fiume o morte!” at the Prosecco and Contovello Cultural Center.
Saturday, Nov. 7, features two outdoor activities. At 10:30 a.m., families can meet at the Monument to the Fallen in Prosecco for “Tg Carso,” a theatrical and scientific performance about wildlife living in the area’s traditional dry-stone walls, followed by a guided walk through the agricultural terraces. In case of bad weather, the performance will move to the Cultural Center.
At 2:30 p.m., participants will meet in the Monte Grisa parking lot for a WWF-guided walk and conservation activity in the Karst grasslands. The day will also include a choir performance at 6 p.m. in the Church of San Martino and a concert at 9 p.m. at the Cultural Center.
The main celebration takes place Sunday, Nov. 8. At 2:30 p.m., residents dressed as traditional carters will lead a horse-drawn cart carrying the new wine through the village. The wine will then be blessed at the Church of San Martino, accompanied by local choirs and musicians. An orienteering event, “Caccia al Prosecco,” will begin at 9 a.m.
Further events include a seminar on sparkling-wine production on Monday, Nov. 9, at 8 p.m. at Casa del Prosecco, and a charity briscola tournament on Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 6 p.m. at the same venue.
On Wednesday, Nov. 11, the village will host its traditional St. Martin’s fair, with food stalls, local crafts and secondhand goods. Wine tastings will take place from 1:30 to 3 p.m. in the garden of the district administrative office. A community event called #Bumerang will be held at the Cultural Center from 3 to 5 p.m., followed by Mass at 4 p.m. at the Church of San Martino. Awards and a concert by the Blek Panters are scheduled for 6 p.m. at the Cultural Center.
Miramare: Marine Reserve Anniversary
The Miramare Marine Protected Area, established on Nov. 12, 1986, will mark its 40th anniversary with two special events.
On Thursday, Nov. 12, Teatro Miela will host “Il mio mare cossa,” a comedy performance in the Triestine dialect featuring Maxino and Flavio Furian, alongside Elisa Bombacigno, Raffaele Prestinenzi and Ornella Serafini. There will be performances at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.
On Sunday, Nov. 15, the Marine Biodiversity Center, located in the stables of Miramare Castle, will host “Adventures in the Karst Grasslands,” a family event for children ages 3 to 6. The program includes bilingual Italian-Slovenian readings, storytelling and a creative workshop inspired by the local landscape. Advance reservations are required via WhatsApp at +39 349 3256747.
