In Musau and Pinswang, Funkensonntag (Bonfire Sunday) has been a firmly established tradition for centuries. Every year, on the first Sunday after Ash Wednesday, the traditional burning of the witch effigy takes place, followed by disc throwing (Scheibenschießen). This pagan custom symbolizes the banishment of the demons of winter and probably dates back historically to Celtic times.

Preparations begin as early as autumn, when the schoolchildren meet to collect enough wood for the bonfire. A life-sized witch figure is then created from hay, straw, and rags.

In Pinswang, on the afternoon of the first Sunday of Lent, the children gather around the “captain” – the oldest compulsory schoolchild. Together, they form a procession and parade through the village with the witch, heading towards the “Scheibenbichl”. As they march, they loudly chant the traditional rhyme:

„Vivat hoch! D’ Hex’ hat Durscht, will a lange, lange Wurscht!“. ("Vivat, hooray! The witch is thirsty, she wants a long, long sausage!")

In front of every house, the witch is made to “dance,” and more and more villagers, equipped with long hazel sticks and wooden discs, join the procession.

Upon reaching the final destination, the witch is erected on a large platform amidst reverent awe. The witches in Pinswang, as well as those in the Musau, are then burned. During this, the chant ‘Vivat hoch!...’ is repeated continuously. Once the fire has created a strong bed of embers, the Scheibenschießen begins: the wooden discs are placed on the hazel sticks, heated in the embers, and then hurled in a wide arc into the night sky.

Since 2015, the Scheibenschlagen tradition in Pinswang and Musau has been officially listed in Austria’s national directory of intangible UNESCO cultural heritage.

In Weißenbach, Scheibenschlagen has long been a deeply rooted tradition, symbolizing the driving out of winter. However, the custom here differs significantly in its sequence and character from that in Musau and Pinswang. While there, the procession with the witch figure and the communal walk to the Scheibenplatz are essential parts of the event, Weißenbach’s Scheibenschlagen is characterized by its decentralized, family-oriented structure.

The village has four separate fire sites – Unterbach, Sommer, Moosberg, and Knobl – where different groups gather. While it is usually the residents of each hamlet who meet at “their” site, there are no strict rules or restrictions: everyone is welcome, no matter which site they choose to visit.

The custom is not organized by associations or official bodies, but lives on thanks to the dedication of individual families and community members who take responsibility for their site – often for generations. Passing on this knowledge and enthusiasm to the children is a central element in keeping the tradition alive. Every two to three years, wood is prepared together, and each year, the sites are maintained with benches and the traditional wooden launching stands.

On three evenings – the first Sunday of Lent, the following Tuesday, and Thursday – the fires are lit in Weißenbach. On the first two evenings, people gather around 5 p.m. to symbolically drive away winter with crackling fires and glowing discs. Some bring nothing more than a sausage to grill, while others bring their hazel sticks and lovingly crafted wooden discs: either perfectly round ones made of hardwood or the traditional “hacked” ones with a square shape. As darkness falls, the discs are heated in the fire, then struck off the hazel sticks and sent flying in a wide arc into the night sky.

On Thursday evening, witches are also burned at all four sites – a communal highlight, though without any formal ceremony. There is no fixed schedule and no prescribed ending: sometimes the night lasts longer, other times it ends earlier. The focus is not on performance or spectacle, but on shared experience and living tradition.

In Weißenbach, Scheibenschlagen is understood as a living custom, rooted in the heart of the community. Without big stages or official events, but with deep connection and pride, this tradition has been passed down through the generations.

When winter comes to an end, the fifth season begins in the Reutte Nature Park Region – Carnival. In Reutte, Höfen and Weißenbach, this festive tradition lives on with particularly colorful and time-honored parades.

Reutte – Unsinniger Donnerstag with Tradition
On Unsinniger Donnerstag (Shrove Thursday), Reutte transforms into a vibrant stage for more than 55 groups, who parade through the town in imaginative costumes and creatively designed floats. Organized by the Faschingsgilde Reutte, the parade attracts thousands of visitors each year. What began as an idea at a local gathering has become a fixture in the event calendar. The easy participation for walking groups and floats makes the parade especially accessible – a carnival celebration for young and old alike.

Höfen – Gungler, Flachsler, and Scheller
The Gungler tradition in Höfen dates back several centuries. On Carnival Sunday, the Gungler – traditional figures with bells, rods, and intricately carved masks – march through the village, noisily driving out winter and welcoming spring. Accompanying them are the Scheller in black garments, the Flachsler with rustling flax, and the colorfully dressed Gungler. The parade is not only a spectacle but also a living expression of Höfen’s local identity.

Weißenbach – The Zuderer
In Weißenbach, Carnival has been celebrated with a large parade every three years for over 100 years, organized by the association Zuderer, named after a legendary local character. The origins of the group lie in a local gathering that popularized the traditional masquerade (Maschgern). Today, a magnificent parade with over 40 groups winds through the village, led by the 7 Schwaben, witches, and the Zuderer himself, carried in a palanquin. The Zuderer monument in the village square serves as a year-round reminder of this extraordinary tradition.

Whether loud and exuberant or deeply rooted in local history, Carnival in the Reutte Nature Park Region is a vivid expression of culture and community.

The Bareigang, a tradition found only in Musau, Austria, traditionally takes place on Rose Monday and serves to symbolically drive out the dark forces and evil spirits of winter.

Children between the ages of 6 and 14 march loudly from house to house wearing colorful pointed hats, horns, and sabers. They recite their traditional rhyme: „Früh abends“ (später „Spät abends“) „kommen wir in euer Haus und bitten um Bareien aus.“

(“Early in the evening” (later “Late in the evening”), “we come to your house and ask for Bareien.”)

In return, they receive a small monetary gift. The captain gives commands such as „Habt acht!“, „Rechts um!“ (“Attention!”, “Right turn!”) and „Im Gleichschritt Marsch!“ (“March in step!”), followed by the jointly shouted slogan: "Hinaus in die Ferne mit sieba Fäßla Bier, drei hamm’r gsoffa, jetzt hamm’r bloß no vier. Vergelts Gott tausendmal!" ("Out into the distance with seven barrels of beer, three we’ve drunk, now we’ve only got four. God bless a thousand times over!")

Since 2025, girls have been allowed to participate for the first time.

As a tradition, the Bareigang strengthens community bonds, shapes the cultural identity of the village, and is actively practiced to this day.

The tradition of setting up the Holy Graves at Easter is deeply rooted and dates back to the Middle Ages. It originated during the time of the Crusades, when pilgrims visited the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and wished to recreate this impressive experience at home. In many churches, detailed replicas of Christ’s tomb were therefore created and set up during Holy Week and at Easter – as places for quiet reflection, devotion, and preparation for the Easter celebration.

In the Reutte Nature Park Region, this custom has been preserved for generations. In several parish churches across the region, elaborately designed Holy Graves are erected at Easter, leaving a profound impression on visitors through their symbolic representation.

This tradition is not only an expression of living faith but also an important element of regional cultural heritage and a remarkable example of intangible cultural property. Detailed information about the Holy Graves in the Reutte Nature Park Region can be found in the blog post “Holy Graves at Easter”.

The liturgical year in the Reutte Nature Park Region is marked by a lively tradition of processions, deeply rooted in both faith and community life. In almost all towns of the region, solemn processions are held for Corpus Christi, the Sacred Heart Feast, and Thanksgiving, in which people of all ages participate naturally and enthusiastically.

The Corpus Christi procession is particularly festive, during which the Blessed Sacrament is carried through the villages, accompanied by music, flags, altars, and the prayers of the faithful. It is a visible expression of devotion to the Eucharist and is one of the most important Catholic celebrations of the liturgical year.

The Sacred Heart processions, which originated from the historical Sacred Heart vow in Tyrol, also hold a fixed place in many communities and reflect the deeply rooted belief in divine protection among the population.

Erntedankfest (Thanksgiving) is celebrated in many places with processions as well – as a sign of gratitude for the year’s harvest and the close connection to agriculture. In addition, the district youth agricultural association (Jungbauernschaft/Landjugend Bezirk Reutte) organizes a regional district Erntedankfest parade in Reutte every three years. The participating local youth groups create festive harvest floats and actively bring rural traditions to the public. The parade is accompanied by other groups, such as music bands and traditional associations.

These processions are much more than religious rituals – they are living expressions of local identity, inherited responsibility, and a testament to the strong connection between faith, nature, and community in this region.

The Sacred Heart of Jesus Fires (Herz-Jesu-Feuer) commemorate the Tyrolean resistance against Napoleon’s troops in 1796. At that time, the Tyrolean Diet unanimously resolved to entrust the land to the “Most Sacred Heart of Jesus” and to seek divine assistance. This solemn vow led to an extraordinary mobilization of the militia and ultimately to victory over the French forces, making the Sacred Heart Sunday a major feast day. Subsequently, it was promised that the Sacred Heart Feast would be celebrated annually with a solemn church service. The renewal of the vow in 1848 gradually evolved from a purely religious ritual into a living tradition, reflecting a deeply rooted sense of cultural and historical identity.

Today, in Tyrol, elaborate fires in the shapes of crosses, hearts, or praying hands are lit on mountain slopes on the third weekend after Pentecost (Sacred Heart Weekend), symbolically expressing the unity and connectedness of the region. This tradition is also maintained in the Reutte Nature Park Region. Members of volunteer fire brigades, mountain rescue teams, the youth agricultural association (Jungbauernschaft), and other clubs and institutions annually light mountain fires at dusk to renew the Sacred Heart vow and strengthen the bond within the Tyrolean community.

Lighting the Sacred Heart of Jesus Fires is therefore not only an impressive visual spectacle but also an expression of deeply rooted tradition and devotion in Tyrol.

The open-air concerts by the brass bands in the Reutte Nature Park Region are an integral part of summer village life and a popular meeting point for locals and visitors alike. From late June to August, the sounds of the regional bands fill the evenings – from the Bürgermusikkapelle Höfen and the Stadtmusikkapelle Vils (Tuesdays) to the Harmoniemusik Lechaschau (alternating Tuesdays & Fridays), the Bundesmusikkapelle Ehenbichl, and the Bürgermusikkapelle Weißenbach (Wednesdays), as well as the Musikkapelle Pflach, Musikkapelle Pinswang, Bürgermusikkapelle Reutte (Thursdays), and Musikkapelle Musau (Fridays).

In this atmospheric setting, village squares transform into stages where traditional marches, polkas, and modern pieces come together to create a cross-generational experience. The concerts invite visitors to linger, foster community spirit, and make the region’s musical traditions tangible and immediate.

These regular events are about far more than mere entertainment: the open-air concerts express a vibrant, deeply rooted brass band tradition, maintained and passed on by the local ensembles with great voluntary dedication. They represent the region’s intangible cultural heritage and, through their regular presence, strengthen the cultural identity of the communities. For locals, they are a source of pride and identity; for tourists, they offer an authentic glimpse into the lived customs of the Alpine region.

As a unifying element between music, tradition, and social life, the open-air concerts shape the cultural face of the Reutte Nature Park Region – year after year.

When autumn arrives, one of the most important periods in the rural calendar begins in the Tyrolean Alps: the Almabtrieb and the Schafschied (Cattle Drive & Sheep Gathering), marking the end of summer on the alpine pastures and deeply rooted in the culture and identity of the region.

In the Reutte Nature Park Region, cows and sheep – sometimes even goats and horses – return from the high mountain pastures to the valley, accompanied by herders, dairymaids, and often proud farming families. What was once a quiet, essential homecoming has become a colorful festival celebrating rural gratitude and the preservation of traditional skills. The elaborately decorated cows, in particular, symbolize a safe summer on the alpine pastures: their wreaths of flowers, ribbons, fir branches, and mirrors are considered signs of protection and blessing. Equally impressive is the Schafschied, during which several hundred sheep are sorted back into their respective herds and then sheared. Both customs bring structure to the farming year and bring people together with music, local specialties, traditional costumes, and a strong sense of community.

The Almabtrieb and Schafschied are living testimonies of centuries-old ways of life, reflecting the Tyrolean population’s deep connection to nature, agriculture, and their roots. As integral parts of intangible cultural heritage, they are far more than tourist attractions – they are expressions of a living tradition.

In the Reutte Nature Park Region, the customs surrounding St. Nicholas Day are deeply rooted. Every year, St. Nicholas, portrayed as a kindly bishop, moves through the villages, visiting families, kindergartens, and schools, and appearing at public events. Dressed in his bishop’s robes, with mitre, staff, and golden book, he praises children for good behavior, requests poems or prayers, and distributes small gifts such as nuts, mandarins, and sweets. He is accompanied by angels, who symbolize light and hope – and by fearsome Krampuses, who appear in shaggy furs, ringing bells, and elaborately carved wooden masks. The Krampuses represent the wild and untamed, symbolically frightening or scolding naughty children.

In Tyrol – and especially in the Außerfern region – this tradition is very strong. Many Krampus groups and associations maintain the custom with great dedication. A particularly impressive example of this tradition is the large Krampus procession in Reutte, which is one of the biggest in the surrounding area. More than 40 groups, with well over 800 Krampuses in total, take part. The parade is widely known far beyond the region and attracts up to 15,000 spectators to Reutte every year. The custom is also celebrated publicly in Lechaschau, where an annual traditional St. Nicholas procession delights young and old alike.

Alongside the public parades, the tradition of St. Nicholas visits also remains alive in private settings. In kindergartens and schools, the custom is celebrated in a child-friendly way: St. Nicholas praises good behavior and hands out small gifts, while the accompanying figures – usually in a toned-down form – act more gently. Often, Knecht Ruprecht takes on the scolding role of the Krampuses here, so as not to frighten the youngest children.

The tradition of St. Nicholas and Krampus visits combines Christian values with Alpine mythology and remains a central part of the region’s winter customs to this day.

In the Reutte Nature Park Region, the tradition of nativity scene building has a long and vibrant history. Many families own true masterpieces, often passed down through generations and carefully adapted over time. The nativity scenes are crafted with great attention to detail and are set up each year during the Christmas season in regional homes. These creations range from small lantern nativity scenes to expansive displays that fill entire rooms. The depictions vary from intricately detailed oriental scenes to local motifs with a strong connection to the surrounding area. The craftsmanship, particularly in the design of the nativity figures—which impress with their remarkable expressiveness and precision—is considered a high art form.

A particularly noteworthy figure is Norbert Roth, a woodcarver from Vils, whose early, realistic nativity figures formed the foundation for numerous regional cribs—possibly even hundreds. Roth’s work gained recognition far beyond the region and played a major role in establishing the high quality of local nativity craftsmanship. Today, nativity scene builders often organize themselves in local clubs to support one another, exchange knowledge, and pass the art of nativity building on to future generations. These clubs also offer a variety of courses, for example on background painting, botanical details, or dressing the figures.

Nativity scene building is therefore not just a hobby, but an important part of the region’s culture, proudly maintained and continually developed.

Closely linked to the art of nativity scene building is the tradition of “Krippele schaugn” (“viewing nativity scenes”) - commonly referred to simply as “Krippele.” This lively custom is observed throughout the Reutte Nature Park Region between Christmas and Candlemas. During this time, people visit lovingly and elaborately crafted Christmas nativity scenes at the homes of neighbors, friends, and well-known nativity builders.

In some places, special “nativity days” are even organized, similar to an open house: residents open their homes at set times to welcome interested visitors, proudly present their masterpieces, and gladly answer any questions. During “Krippele schaugn,” it is common for the host to serve schnapps, adding to the festive and social atmosphere.

Traditionally, nativity scenes are only complete after the Feast of the Epiphany, as the figures of the Three Wise Men are placed in the scene at that time.

The tradition of “Krippele schaugn” brings people together, allowing them to immerse themselves in a special Christmas atmosphere and playing a key role in keeping the region’s nativity scene heritage alive. Since 2021, the nativity tradition has been listed as intangible cultural heritage in Austria’s UNESCO registry.

Every year on December 28, the Day of the Holy Innocents, Pinswang comes alive as early as five o’clock in the morning. The Hollabuben (Holla boys), led by the oldest students, gather in the dark on the village square. Equipped with willow rods, goat horns, and money cans, they loudly go from house to house, waking the residents with the traditional call:

• in Unterpinswang: „Holla, Holla, Bierezelte, siaß oder sau'r, raus mit'm Baur!“ (“Holla, Holla, beer tents, sweet or sour, out with the cash!”) 
• in Oberpinswang: „Holla, Holla, Bierezelte hea, sei a siaß oder reaß!“ (“Holla, Holla, beer tents here, be it sweet or sour!”)

Gradually, the lights come on in the houses, and the boys receive the coveted Hollageld (Holla money). Those who refuse are gently but firmly awakened with rods at the door. At dawn, the custom, which commemorates the innocent children of Bethlehem, concludes with a visit to the Holy Mass.

A tradition that is deeply rooted and delights people anew every year. Since 2023, this ancient custom is no longer reserved for boys—schoolgirls are now also allowed to take part in the Hollaschreien.