Home › Things to do › Events

Cattle drive & autumn festivals

In early September the decorated cows return to the valley – in 2026 e.g. on 5 September to the Valisera cable car, 2 km from our house, with cheese, music and kids’ fun.

summer · 9 👨‍👩‍👧 Family friendly 🍼 Stroller friendly

Loading the map fetches map tiles from OpenStreetMap; your IP address is transmitted to the OSM servers. The optional "Land Vorarlberg trail network" layers load data from the geoserver of the State of Vorarlberg (vogis.cnv.at).

When the alpine summer ends, the Montafon farmers bring their cattle back down from the alps – and if the summer passed without accident, the cows wear flower and fir decorations, the best dairy cow the most magnificent one. The cattle drive is the visible finale of the three-stage farming system in which the animals move in spring from the farm to the Maisäß settlements (1,200 to 1,600 m) and in high summer up to the alps. In the villages this becomes a festival: brass band, farmers' market, food, tasting and sale of Sura Kees and alpine butter, face painting for children. In 2026 the cows came down on Friday 4 September to Silbertal (Gafluna and Alpgues alps), on Saturday 5 September to the Valisera cable car in St. Gallenkirch (Nova and Zamang alps, programme from 11:00, arrival around 12:00, organised by the Landjugend Innermontafon), to Gargellen (Vergalda alp) and to the Panoramagasthof Kristberg (Wasserstuben alp, around 11:30), and on Saturday 12 September to Tschagguns (Spora, Latschätz, Tilisuna and others, farmers' market from 9:00) and again to St. Gallenkirch (Nova young-cattle alp).

The cattle drive to the Valisera cable car is within walking distance of our house (2 km); the other venues are reached by buses 650, 670 and 680. The alps fix the exact dates only shortly beforehand, because they depend on weather, water and fodder – in summer we will gladly tell you what is coming up. For a culinary end to autumn: at the Montafoner Buratag in Schruns (2026: Saturday 3 October) the best Sura Kees of the year receives its award.

🧭 Route description

Valisera cable car St. Gallenkirch: 2 km on foot or bus 650. Silbertal and Kristberg: bus 680 from Schruns. Gargellen: bus 670. Tschagguns: bus 650/651.

💡 Tips & refreshments

Arrive early – depending on the weather the herds come down earlier or later. Keep your distance from the animals, hold children's hands, keep dogs on a short lead or leave them at home. Bring cash for cheese and food; the festivals are free and usually go ahead whatever the weather.

🕒 Opening hours

Dates 2026 (as of September 2026): 4 September Silbertal; 5 September Valisera cable car St. Gallenkirch, Gargellen, Kristberg; 12 September Tschagguns and St. Gallenkirch; Buratag Schruns 3 October. 2027: dates are published only in late summer – usually the first and second weekends of September.

💶 Prices

Free entry; food and cheese sales for cash.

Last updated: 13 Sep 2026

Similar destinations