Garda’s San Bernardo Festival: Tradition, History, and Celebrations
Their festival is called ancient, but no one knows exactly how old it really is. It begins on August 18th and closes on the 20th. There’s music for dancing, a large amusement park, and stands continuously serving grilled sausages and gnocchi.
It is an integral part of the Garda tradition. The festival is organized in honor of San Bernardo, at the little church dedicated to him, located at the foot of the Rocca. Inside the recently restored small chapel, three masses will be celebrated on Monday, on the day dedicated to the saint.
In the past, after mass, people used to gather on the small square to eat a slice of watermelon: a stack of watermelons was placed at the foot of a cypress tree. Today, watermelon is no longer fashionable. The area used to be rural, even swampy at times. Now, it has an industrial zone.
Origin and History of the Festival
However, the origin of the festival has nothing to do with farmers or artisans. Although few, those attending the festival can guess that its origins are linked to the history of fishermen. Nonetheless, August 20th, the day of San Bernardo, has always been a solemn date for the Corporazione degli antichi originari di Garda.
It is on this occasion that common goods are distributed—the proceeds from renting the riverbanks, namely. In the past, it was the time to settle debts accumulated by families during the year. Today, with the funds from the Corporation, the original inhabitants buy coffee and pastries: a few thousand lire per person, but nobody would even think of not going to collect them because it would be an insult to tradition.
The Corporazione dates back to 1452. The San Bernardo festival may therefore have a centuries-old history, but there are no documents to prove it. The small church, however, is thought to date back to the 14th century. It certainly existed in 1530, when it was visited by Bishop Giberti, who found it in poor condition and ordered renovations, but his words went unheeded, and two years later, he found the roof collapsing.
About ten years later, to repair it, they had to rent a couple of fields to a certain Comino, a mason, who took on the repair work in exchange. The altarpiece depicts the saint and was painted by Giovanni Battei in 1670.
Legend and Beliefs about Abbot Bernardo
Some say that the church was built exactly where Abbot Bernardo supposedly spoke to the fishermen of Garda, but that is legend. It is said that the saint, founder of many monasteries, arrived in Garda’s port and then continued on foot inland.
The Garda people supposedly followed him, hoping to hear his devout words. Suddenly, a storm broke out. Bernardo then gathered the people under a large tree and delivered a short sermon: no one was touched by the rain.
This miracle is said to have led to the construction of that small church. Modest and tucked away, it may be, but it commands respect. Those who visit it on August 20th can gain a plenary indulgence, according to the papal grant requested by Don Belli, parish priest of Garda from the late eighteenth century until 1841.
Many Garda residents do not want to miss the mass on San Bernardo‘s day. In the evening, the area becomes crowded around the fairgrounds.
