When the days slowly turn cooler, the forests dress in warm tones of gold, red, and orange, and the first birds head south, we say: Autumn is coming to Gastein.
A special time begins. The air becomes clearer, peace returns to nature, and throughout the Province of Salzburg, a tradition that has been lived for generations becomes visible: the Bauernherbst.
Farmers’ markets with regional products, traditional festivals, music, crafts, and culinary delicacies tell of life with the seasons. Of work in the fields and alpine pastures. Of gratitude for a good harvest. And of a custom that still has its firm place in the Gastein Valley today.
Harvest Festival in Gastein – Tradition That Lives
Preparations begin days in advance. Animals are groomed. Tractors and wagons are festively decorated. Traditional costumes are taken out of the closet. An entire village prepares to celebrate together.
At the end of September, the large Harvest Festival Parade takes place in Bad Hofgastein . Farmers, rural youth, associations, and music groups move through the village with their elaborately decorated wagons. Traditional crafts and artistic handiwork are presented, while local brass bands accompany the parade with traditional sounds.
A festival that shows what customs in Gastein mean: coming together, celebrating together, and passing on what has grown over generations.
“Da Summa is umma” – Cattle Drive in the Province of Salzburg
The animals have spent several months high up on the alpine pastures. Surrounded by lush mountain meadows and the vastness of the Gastein mountains. But when the days get shorter and the nights colder, it is time to say: “Summer is over.”
During the traditional Almabtrieb in the Province of Salzburg , the animals return to the valley. If the alpine summer has gone well, they are decorated with flowers, wreaths, and elaborate headdresses.
Meanwhile, the farmers in the valley have been busy. The meadows were mown and the hay brought in as winter supplies. Thus, in autumn, the natural cycle between the alpine pasture and the valley closes – a tradition that tells of the close connection between humans, animals, and nature.
Bauernherbst in the Province of Salzburg – Experience Customs
Since 1996, the Bauernherbst in the Province of Salzburg has been celebrated and is now considered almost a fifth season. Around 2,000 events in 77 Bauernherbst villages invite you to cattle drives, harvest festivals, farmers’ markets, music events, craft demonstrations, and culinary experiences.
In 2026, the Bauernherbst will be held under the motto “G’sungen und G’spielt” (Sung and Played). Music and singing accompany the events on village squares, alpine pastures, and in inns, making it clear what characterizes this time: living customs in the Province of Salzburg.
