Saint Bartholomew

Another Saint's day, that of Saint Bartholomew on August 24th, is the day on which the cattle are brought down from the highest pastures. It is still the occasion for a livestock market on the alp called Schianalm, attended by local farmers with the band from Wangen, one of six on the Ritten, playing, and an extensive grill feast as the animals are driven into an enclosed meadow to the cracking of the whips of the attendant herdsmen. The band wears the local Tracht or costume, including broad leather belts embroidered with quills of peacock feathers, a traditional industry of the Sarntal below. Nowadays many of the tourists use the chair lift and walk down. The chair lift, opened in 1975, has been replaced this year by gondolas and goes from Pemmern up to Schwarzseespitze.