On 5 December St Nicholas rides along Corso Italia in a horse-drawn carriage with the angels and the parish priest and gives the children a bag of gifts; after him the Krampus take over the streets. In 2026 it falls on a Saturday, at 17:00.
Every year on 5 December St Nicholas arrives in the centre of Cortina in a horse-drawn carriage along Corso Italia, with the angels and the parish priest, and gives every child a little bag of small gifts. Straight after him come the Krampus, in wooden masks and fur costumes, running through the streets with shouts and cowbells to frighten the naughtiest children.
The festival is organised by the ULdA, the Union de i Ladis de Anpezo, the cultural association that looks after the traditions of Ampezzo. In 2025 St Nicholas appeared at 17:00 in front of the parish church of Santi Filippo e Giacomo, welcomed by the priest and the church bells, and the bag held a booklet on local traditions, a few sweets and coloured pencils. For 2026 Cortina's tourism site gives the date, Saturday 5 December, and the time, 17:00; the ULdA's own announcement is not out yet.
Where St Nicholas, angels and Krampus in Cortina falls in the Dolomites year, and what happens in the other weeks: Best time to visit the Dolomites: a month-by-month guide.
Good to know
- Admission: Free: none of the sources mentions tickets. St Nicholas gives the children who come a little bag of small gifts.
- When and where: Saturday 5 December 2026 at 17:00, in the centre of Cortina, according to the events calendar on cortinadampezzo.it (read on 14 November 2026). The time the Krampus come through is not published.
- In 2025 the ULdA asked people not to spoil the festival with firecrackers or spray cans, so that it stays a celebration for all children.
- Information: ULdA, office at Corso Italia 31, telephone 0436 868615.
- For getting there, parking and where to stay, see the Cortina page.
Official website (tickets & info) ↗
Dates, times and prices change every year: always check the official pages before you go.