On the occasion of the Olympic year, APT and the Municipality of Sondalo, along with local associations, have organized a series of initiatives and events that will take place throughout the year, to celebrate sport as a common thread capable of uniting history, protagonists, culture, identity, and traditions. These initiatives will transform the territory into a stage for meetings, emotions, and sharing, involving both the community and visitors, and drawing inspiration from Olympic values and a sense of belonging.

For this occasion, the concept “Sondalo: Mountain and Passion Circles” has been created, designed to promote and make recognizable all the initiatives carried out during the year. These will not be events intended to amaze with "great special effects" that also involve significant budgets, but initiatives that stem from the soul of Sondalo. Their strength lies in the involvement of the community, starting with children, in enhancing the territory and its history, in the simplicity that knows how to renew itself, and in the collaboration of associations and volunteers. For Sondalo, the real spectacle is this: to create different moments, for different target groups, where everyone feels welcomed, part of something, at home. This is how the entire program of the event takes shape.

2026 began in January with the Gabinàt festival, which this year hosted an ice show dedicated to the Olympics, kicking off the Olympic year. The celebrations continued with the public meeting “Olympics, tourism, and events,” organized by the Alta Valtellina tourist district, an occasion where the first appointments were also presented:

• Sunday, February 8 – Circles of Joy

“Carneval del RiO” – VIII edition of the great festival that celebrates, with fantasy and shows, the Olympic spirit. An afternoon of joy, a touch of madness, healthy competition, and plenty of entertainment for both adults and children, with the traditional parade of masks and floats and the historic challenge between recruits.

• Saturday, February 14 – Circles of Celebration and Fun

“Winter Party” – The historic center transforms into a giant playground with entertainment, artists, and unique shows. Grand finale in the piazza with an explosive party: music show, DJ set, aperi-time, and bar & food area featuring typical products from Valtellina. Two events in one, to celebrate the Olympics together.

• Friday and Saturday, February 13-14 and 20-21 – Circles of History and Identity

“Museum of the Sanatoria of Sondalo” – Extraordinary openings to discover the history of the sanatoria of Sondalo built in the 1900s. A unique museum in the world that offers an extraordinary visit route, capable of uniting history, architecture, medicine, and collective memory.

• Friday, February 20 – Circles of Notes and Emotions

“Candle Notes” – For the first time in Valtellina, a piano concert among candles, where music dialogues with history. The Church of S. Marta transforms into a stage of emotions for a unique and engaging experience, closing the two Olympic weeks (absolute preview in Valtellina)

• February and March – Circles of Stories and Champions

“Olympic Horizons” – From the peaks of mountaineering to the slopes of the valley, up to the Paralympics: a journey in sport through passion, champions, strength, and inclusion. Five circles and many stories intertwine over three evenings, among sport, history, and culture.

• February and March – Circles of History and Community

“Memories of Sport: Beyond Competition” – A photographic exhibition that tells the story of sport in Sondalo and its fractions: images of competitions, moments of joy, and smiles that testify to how sport is part of the community's identity, uniting past and present.

The journey of the circles continues…

The appointments will continue throughout the year with new sporting and cultural initiatives, shows that will highlight the talents of Sondalo, and reinterpretations of traditional events. A pathway designed to celebrate “Sondalo Olimpica” between past and present, with an eye to the future.

APT Sondalo and Municipality of Sondalo