Lake Garda events in November and December 2026: what’s on

In November and December 2026, the events already confirmed on the Brescia side of Lake Garda are mostly cultural: concerts in Salò, talks in Sirmione, theatre and choirs in Lonato, and antiques markets. In early October the towns have not yet published their Christmas programmes. Below you will find only dates published on official websites and, separately, what happened last year.

Dates checked against official sources on 3 October 2026: always check again before you set off.

I will say it straight away: if you are looking for the “Christmas card” lake, in early October there is still little official information. This is normal, as the towns publish their Christmas programmes between late October and November. I have chosen to list fewer events, each with a source you can check.

November 2026

Salò: concerts and talks almost every week

The municipality’s “Salò è Cultura” autumn programme is the fullest in the area. For November:

• Pomeriggi Musicali di Salò (afternoon concerts): Sundays 8, 15, 22 and 29 November, at 17:00, Sala dei Provveditori.
• Concert by the “Gasparo Bertolotti” Wind Orchestra for the feast of the town’s patron saint: Saturday 7 November, at 20:30, in the cathedral (Duomo).
• Salotto d’autore (meet the author) at the library: Saturday 7 November at 16:00 with Gaspare Grammatico, Saturday 14 November at 16:00 with Carmelo Schininà.
• An evening with Pietro Morello: Saturday 21 November, at 20:30, Auditorium of the Istituto Battisti.
• Concert “Omaggio a Mauro Fantinelli” (a tribute to Mauro Fantinelli): Friday 27 November, at 20:30, Sala dei Provveditori.

There are also talks on the history of the Riviera, marking 600 years since it placed itself under the rule of Venice. They are useful if you want to understand where the character of this shore comes from.

Sirmione: an EQUILIBRI talk

The EQUILIBRI series, promoted by the municipality, brings authors and journalists to Sirmione. On Friday 20 November, at 20:45, at the municipal library, Alessandra Campedelli presents “Io posso”. Entry is free, but you need to book.

The Castello Scaligero, Sirmione’s castle, is free to enter on 1 November (with a special afternoon opening from 13:30 to 19:30) and on 4 November.

Lonato: theatre, choirs and antiques

From the calendar of the Rocca di Lonato tourist office:

• Voci a San Martino (choirs): Sunday 1 November at 17:00 in the church of Maguzzano; Sunday 15 November at 17:00 at the Santuario di San Martino.
• “Ahi Maria!” with Paola Rizzi: Saturday 14 November, at 21:00, Teatro Italia.
• “Babbo Natale va in pensione” (“Father Christmas retires”, a show for families): Sunday 29 November, at 16:30, Teatro Italia.
• Mercantico (antiques, vintage design and collectables) in the old town: Sunday 15 November. According to the municipality, it is held on the third Sunday of every month, except January, July and August.
• The BENÀCUS photography exhibition, about Lake Garda and its hills, stays open in the Rocca until 6 January 2027.

Desenzano: the antiques market

The Mercatino dell’Antiquariato e del Vintage (antiques and vintage market) is held on the first Sunday of the month in Via Anelli, on the lakeside promenade, from 9:00 to 19:00. In November it falls on Sunday 1 November.

December 2026

• Desenzano, Sunday 6 December: Mercatino dell’Antiquariato e del Vintage, Via Anelli, from 9:00 to 19:00.
• Sirmione, Sunday 6 December: free entry to the Castello Scaligero (first Sunday of the month).
• Sirmione, Friday 4 December at 18:00: opening of “ÒRA | ORA”, the Mostra Collettiva degli Artisti Sirmionesi (a group exhibition of Sirmione artists), at Palazzo Callas Exhibitions. It stays open until 7 March 2027.
• Sirmione, Thursday 10 December at 20:45, library: Pino Arlacchi presents “La Cina spiegata all’Occidente” (EQUILIBRI, booking required).
• Salò, Saturday 19 December: “Tonio Testadura e l’asino d’oro”, a show for children in the library auditorium (Salò in Scena series).
• Salò, Monday 21 December: “Francesco. Il suo Natale”, a show for families (Salò in Scena).
• Lonato, Sunday 20 December: Mercantico in the old town.

Christmas: what we know and what we do not

As of today, none of the towns I cover has published its Christmas 2026 programme. This is what happened last year, according to the official pages:

• Desenzano: the municipality ran events from 1 December 2025 to 6 January 2026, with “L’Officina di Babbo Natale” (Father Christmas’s workshop) in the castle from 7 December.
• Sirmione: a programme from 28 November 2025 to 10 January 2026, with an ice rink in Piazza Montemurro from 6 December.
• Lonato: events from 30 November 2025 to 6 January 2026, including concerts in the basilica, nativity scenes and the “100 Presepi” exhibition of 100 nativity scenes (municipal press release).

The 2026 dates have not been announced yet. I will update this article when the programmes come out.

All the dates at a glance

Two practical tips

Get around by car. From 2 November 2026 to 12 March 2027, Navigazione Laghi, the lake’s public boat operator, runs only the Torri–Maderno ferry: there are no boats between Desenzano, Sirmione and Salò. By car, Salò, Lonato and Desenzano are all close to the Valtenesi, the hills between Desenzano and Salò.

Look at the Valtenesi in these months. If you are looking for a home here, November and December show you what the lake is like when there are few tourists. You see which villages stay lively, where you can park and how long it takes to get to a concert in Salò or the market in Desenzano. If you would like to view some houses during those days, write to me: we can plan the viewings around the events that interest you.