Discover Ticino through music
International Relations and Study abroad Service
15 July 2019
Beyond their experience at USI, our incoming students seem to appreciate Ticino for its nature, mountains, lakes, and the many related outdoor activities that go along with our environment. Yet, in summer the music scene in Ticino offers a variety of festivals and open-air concerts that can easily keep locals and tourists busy until Autumn. In this issue, we present a mini guide for students planning to stay longer to enjoy the summer in our region, or future incoming students arriving early to experience Ticino before the start of classes. As you will read, some events happened already before the release of this newsletter, yet they are worth mentioning. Most events are free of charge.
Bellinzona region
Bellinzona Blue Festival
13 concerts, 3 days, 2 stages!
20-22 June
https://www.incitta.ch/2019/03/18/bellinzona-blues-festival/
Bellinzona Beatles Days
Three days on the sound of 60ies and 70ies music, with particular focus on the Beatles.
18-20 July
https://www.incitta.ch/2019/05/16/bellinzona-beatles-days/
Castle on Air
In the beautiful scenary of Bellinzona’s Castelgrande, a 4-day music festival.
25-28 July
https://www.incitta.ch/2019/02/27/castle-on-air/
Locarno and valleys
Open air al Lagh, Locarno
A 2-day festival with metal, rock, punk e funk bands and artists, on the shore of Lago Maggiore.
8-9 June
www.openairallagh.ch
JazzAscona, Ascona
JazzAscona places itself among the main international events dedicated to jazz and New Orleans Beat, offers a rich program of almost 15 concerts a day and attracts a broad audience of jazz enthusiasts in the wonderful atmosphere of the Lago Maggiore.
20-29 June
https://www.jazzascona.ch/
Open air, Monte Carasso
A 3-day open air with emerging artists from the European music scene
27-29 June
www.openairmontecarasso.ch
Moon and Stars
A 10-day kermesse of world famous artists in the magic atmosphere of Locarno’s Piazza Grande.
11-21 July
https://moonandstars.ch/
Vallemaggia Magic Blues
The beautiful and picturesque squares of the Valle Maggia villages become the stages for this festival, offering some 10 evenings of engaging music.
12 July-8 August
http://www.magicblues.ch/
Musical Week Ascona
Classical music is the theme of this festival: symphonic concerts, chamber orchestras, smaller chamber ensembles, and choirs.
4 September-11 October
http://www.settimane-musicali.ch/
Lugano region
Longlake Festival
This is one of the biggest open-air city festivals in Switzerland. Concerts, music for all tastes, literature, gatherings, entertainment, theatre, dance, cinema, children’s shows and urban art installations will invade the streets, squares and public parks of the city creating an intense encounter between artists and the public.
28 June-4 August
https://longlake.ch/en/
Estival Jazz, Lugano and Morcote
A 3-day music festival taking place in Lugano (Piazza Riforma). Mainly – but not exclusively – focused on jazz, over the years the festival has hosted a rich group of renown artists, such as Ray Charles, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Herbie Hancock and Chet Baker, just to name some of the most iconic ones.
4-6 July
https://www.estivaljazz.ch/en/
Festival Ticino Musica
The Festival Ticino Musica is an international meeting of young musicians attended every year by hundreds of musicians and singers from all over the world – a fusion of mature artistry and nascent talent.
18-31 July
www.ticinomusica.com
Morcote Summer Festival
A rich music festival in the village on the shores of Lake Ceresio.
19 July-17 August
www.morcoteturismo.ch
Agno Open Air Festival, Agno
A smaller festival offering music, street markets and food in the communal park Al Lago, in Agno.
26 July-3 August
www.openairagno.ch
Blues to Bop, Lugano
Every night, a lineup of artists from all over the world play in four different locations in Lugano. More than 50 artists and 40 concerts for all tastes, from blues, to jazz and gospel. The closing concert takes place in Morcote, in the small square right on the lake.
29-31 August in Lugano / 1 September in Morcote
http://www.bluestobop.ch
Mendrisio region
Festate, Chiasso, 29the festival of Cultures
Festate resonates within the urban spaces of the frontier city of Chiasso with the rhythms and voices of the cultures of the many peoples of the world that it represents. Some of the best international music world performers and groups perform every year on the main square of the city to kick-off Ticino’s summer events.
14-15 June
https://www.centroculturalechiasso.ch/cinema_teatro/festate-29-festival-di-culture-e-musiche-del-mondo/?lang=en
Festival of Music, Mendrisio
In the historic center of Mendrisio, this festival is inspired by the values of the international Fête de la Musique. The Festa della Musica di Mendrisio offers a great number of performances where different regional, national and international ensembles and bands perform.
22 June
www.festadellamusica.ch
This event is free of charge
