8 Nov 2026
Lake Garda Half Marathon: The Garda Trentino Half Marathon Guide
The Garda Trentino Half Marathon in Riva del Garda: date, course, entry rules for foreign runners and the other half marathons on the lake.
Lake Garda
Lake Garda Events
The recurring events on Lake Garda by season, from spring races and wine festivals to the Centomiglia regatta and the Christmas markets.
Lake Garda’s calendar repeats. The same races, regattas, wine festivals and markets come round at roughly the same point each year, which makes it possible to plan a trip around one, or around avoiding one. This page is the orientation; the individual event guides are listed below.
We only include events whose organiser or tourist board we have checked, and we only give a date where it has been published. Everything else is described by its usual time of year.
The short answer
Spring is for sport: the Lake Garda 42 marathon and half marathon in April and the Bike Festival in Riva del Garda around 1 May. Summer brings concerts at the Vittoriale in Gardone Riviera and Notte di Fiaba in Riva at the end of August. Autumn has the Centomiglia regatta at Gargnano, Bardolino's grape and wine festival and the Garda Trentino Half Marathon in November. Winter means Christmas markets in the north.
Most of the big events are at the northern end or on the east shore, so book early if your dates overlap with one.
Event guides
Recurring Lake Garda events by season
Dates are given only where the organiser or tourist board has published them.
| Event | Usual time | Where | Published dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| PEAK Lake Garda 42 (marathon and half marathon) | April | Limone and Arco to Malcesine | 9 to 11 April 2027 |
| FSA Bike Festival | Around 1 May | Riva del Garda | 30 April to 2 May 2027 |
| Palio del Chiaretto (rosé wine festival) | Early June | Bardolino and Lazise | 2026 edition: 5 to 7 June |
| Tener-a-mente (concerts at the Vittoriale) | June to September | Gardone Riviera | 2026 was the 15th edition |
| Notte di Fiaba | Late August | Riva del Garda | 26 to 30 August 2027 |
| Centomiglia sailing regatta | Early September | Gargnano and Bogliaco | 2026 was the 76th edition |
| Festa dell'Uva e del Vino | Turn of September and October | Bardolino | 30 September to 4 October 2027 |
| Padenghe Half Marathon | Start of November | Padenghe sul Garda | 1 November 2026 |
| Garda Trentino Half Marathon | November | Riva del Garda and Arco | 8 November 2026 |
| Di Gusto in Gusto Christmas market | Mid-November to Epiphany | Riva del Garda | 13 November 2026 to 6 January 2027 |
Checked 7 October 2026 against organiser and tourist-board pages. Confirm with the organiser before you book travel. · Checked October 2026. Prices and times change — confirm with the operator before you travel.
Spring: races and the first wine festival
The season opens with running. PEAK Lake Garda 42 has a marathon from Limone sul Garda to Malcesine by way of Riva and Arco, and a half marathon from Arco to Malcesine. The organiser lists the next edition for 9 to 11 April 2027.
Around 1 May the FSA Bike Festival takes over Riva del Garda with a bike expo, mountain bike and gravel races and children’s events; the 33rd edition is set for 30 April to 2 May 2027. In early June the Palio del Chiaretto puts Bardolino’s rosé on the lakefronts of Bardolino and Lazise. Entry is free and you buy the festival glass to taste.
Summer: concerts and Notte di Fiaba
From June to September the open-air amphitheatre at the Vittoriale degli Italiani in Gardone Riviera hosts the Tener-a-mente festival, a run of concerts by Italian and international acts. The 2026 programme was the 15th edition. Popular dates sell out, so book ahead if a particular concert matters to you.
At the end of August Riva del Garda holds Notte di Fiaba, a festival built each year around a different fairy tale or story. It has run since 1950, and the 2027 edition is set for 26 to 30 August with Don Quixote as its theme. Summer is also when beaches and boats are busiest; our best Lake Garda beaches list helps with the hours in between.
Autumn: sailing, wine and half marathons
Early September belongs to the Centomiglia, the long-distance sailing regatta run by the Circolo Vela Gargnano from Gargnano and Bogliaco. It dates back to 1951 and 2026 was the 76th edition.
At the turn of September and October Bardolino holds its Festa dell’Uva e del Vino on the lakefront, with wine and food stands, live music, a grape-treading demonstration and fireworks on the Sunday night. The next dates are 30 September to 4 October 2027. In Arco, the Rock Master climbing competition has been held since 1987; its 2026 edition took place in the autumn and the next date has not been announced.
November is half marathon month. The Padenghe Half Marathon is on 1 November 2026 and the far larger Garda Trentino Half Marathon on 8 November 2026. Our best Lake Garda vineyards list is the companion to the wine festivals.
Winter: Christmas markets
The lake goes quiet from mid-November, and the Christmas markets fill the gap. Riva del Garda’s Di Gusto in Gusto sets up wooden stalls of Trentino food and wine in Piazza Garibaldi and Piazza Battisti; the tourist board lists it from 13 November 2026 to 6 January 2027, generally from 10:30 to 21:00.
Many hotels, campsites and ferries run a reduced service or close at this time of year. Check our Lake Garda weather guide for what is open in each month before you plan a winter trip.
Planning around an event
Three practical points apply to almost all of these. First, accommodation near the venue fills early, and in the case of the Garda Trentino Half Marathon the race itself sold out about three months after entries opened. Second, roads along the route of a race are closed while it passes, so check the organiser’s information if you are driving that day. Third, dates move by a few days from year to year, so treat “early June” as a guide and confirm before you book flights.
If you are choosing a base for an event in the north, our best Lake Garda hotels list covers Riva, Torbole and Malcesine.
Good to know
What is the biggest event on Lake Garda?
For participation, the Garda Trentino Half Marathon in Riva del Garda: the organiser released 7,100 bibs across its races for the 8 November 2026 edition and they sold out. Our Lake Garda half marathon guide has the details.
When is the wine festival in Bardolino?
There are two. The Palio del Chiaretto, for rosé, is in early June; in 2026 it ran from 5 to 7 June. The Festa dell'Uva e del Vino is at the turn of September and October, with the next edition from 30 September to 4 October 2027. See our guide to Bardolino for the town itself.
When is Notte di Fiaba in Riva del Garda?
At the end of August. The organiser lists the 2027 edition for 26 to 30 August, themed on Don Quixote. The festival has been held in Riva del Garda since 1950.
Is there a marathon on Lake Garda?
Yes. PEAK Lake Garda 42 runs 42.2 km from Limone sul Garda to Malcesine, with a half marathon from Arco to Malcesine on the same day. The organiser lists the next edition for 9 to 11 April 2027.
Are there Christmas markets on Lake Garda?
Yes, mainly at the northern end. Riva del Garda's Di Gusto in Gusto market is listed from 13 November 2026 to 6 January 2027 in Piazza Garibaldi and Piazza Battisti. Other towns hold their own; check the local tourist board for dates.
When is the Centomiglia regatta?
In early September, from Gargnano and Bogliaco on the west shore. It is organised by the Circolo Vela Gargnano, dates back to 1951 and reached its 76th edition in 2026. Our guide to Gargnano covers the town and the shore around it.