Castle Festival 13th Edition
Description
Castle Festival 2025
13th Edition
Music and Folklore
When history becomes a soundtrack
Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th September
Castle, Valsolda
Free admission
Music and folklore in the alleys of one of Lake Ceresio's most charming villages
The village of Castello is preparing to welcome the thirteenth edition of the Castle Festival with a theme that unites tradition and contemporaneity: Music and Folklore.
For two days, the ancient streets of the town will be filled with concerts, exhibitions, shows, gastronomy and stories, offering a unique experience made of voices, flavors and encounters.
Alongside music and cuisine, the festival also hosts a selection of creative crafts, hobbies and local agri-food products, to celebrate the hands and stories of those who still work with passion and deep roots. Among stalls, authentic flavors, and small handmade wonders, the village is transformed into a open-air laboratory of ancient knowledge and new expressions. An invitation to rediscover the quality born from the earth and ingenuity, in a celebration that embraces the entire community.
MUSIC WIDESPREAD, EMOTIONS COLLECTED
Saturday afternoon and evening will feature a traveling musical itinerary with four selected bands, each performing two sets in different corners of the village. Only one band—the Urlo Band—will close the evening with a spectacular concert in the warehouse.
Nice Price – Energetic Rock from the '80s and '90s | Piazza Rusciett
-Vent Negru – Ticino Folk Music | Near the Museum
-ME Bossi Choir – Sacred and Renaissance Polyphony | Church of San Martino
Tirlindana – Emotional rock in the acoustic version of "Senza Spine" | Near the Osteria al Nuraghe
Urlo Band – Main Concert | Capannone, 10:30 PM
-Filarmonica Valsolda – Sunday 28th at 10am | Rusciett Square
COMPLETE PROGRAM
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27
16:00 – Opening of the event: streets of the village, exhibitions, exhibitors
17:30 – Valeria's stories, rdeposits for all ages – Oratory
18:00 – Nice Price – Piazza Rusciett
18:30 – Vent Negru – Near the Museum
19:00 – Kitchen Opening | ME Bossi Choir – Church of San Martino
19:30 – Tirlindana – Near the Osteria al Nuraghe
20:00 – Nice Price – Piazza Rusciett
20:30 – Vent Negru – Near the Museum
21:00 – ME Bossi Choir – Church of San Martino
21:30 – Tirlindana – Near the Osteria al Nuraghe
22:30 – Urlo Band – Main Concert at the Capannone
Sunday, September 28
09:00 – Opening of the event | Holy Mass – Church of San Martino
10:00 – Ancient games through the village streets | Valsolda Philharmonic – Piazza Rusciett
11:00 – Historical shows with “La Camagnola” + traveling accordions
12:00 – Kitchen opening
14:30 – Historical performances with “La Camagnola”
17:00 – Lottery Drawing – Piazza Rusciett
Contemporary art on display
Ironic Dreamlike Unplugged – Personal exhibition of Omar Tigrini
Art director and graphic designer with over twenty years of experience, Omar Tigrini brings to Castello his visual art defined as "“ironic/dreamlike”: two words in apparent contrast, but united by an anagram and a common vision. The exhibition, curated by CasaPopolare.art, is a journey between sarcasm and imagination, between the folds of everyday life and the timeless visions of dreams.
With fingers stained with pastel and the gaze of someone who knows how to read between the lines of reality, Tigrini tells human nature with lightness and depth. His works do not seek "beauty" as an end in itself, but construct a direct visual code, capable of triggering reflections, emotions and new perspectives on what we experience every day.
As he writes Massimiliano Ferrario, researcher and director of CRiSAC:
Tigrini works like a twenty-first-century director, building bridges between seemingly distant images and atmospheres, rooted in art history and the collective imagination.
An exhibition to experience, read and listen to: a unique opportunity during the Castle Festival to discover an author capable of making us smile... and think.
With the special participation of Albert Mayr – interactive sound performance.
Edited by CasaPopolare.art – visual and sound art in Valsolda
Homage to Fritz Meijer – Painter of the Lake
From 7pm on Saturday at the end of the festival, the Oratory of Castello will host a exhibition dedicated to Fritz Meijer, a Swiss painter originally from Zurich who lived for a long time on Lake Ceresio. Meijer, born in 1900, studied at prestigious academies in Germany and France and developed in the cultural climate of European post-Impressionism.
In 1935 he settled in Gandria, where he lived and worked until his death in 1969, transforming the lakeside village into the privileged subject of his painting. His poetic and sensitive open-air art recounts the landscape and the soul of the places with a gaze filtered by a delicate Nordic sensitivity.
The exhibition at the Oratory of Castello is part of a larger celebratory project on the occasion of the 125th anniversary of the artist's birth, and includes works inspired by the landscapes of Lake Ceresio, with particular attention to the views and atmospheres of the area between Gandria and Valsolda. An intimate and precious stop within the festival, for those who wish to experience the village through art.
Absolutely not to be missed during the festival:
a visit to the Pagani House Museum, to discover the history and visionary genius of the great baroque artist Paolo Pagani, and the splendid Parish Church of San Martino, a true treasure chest of art which houses his masterpiece: the imposing fresco of the Triumph of Faith. Two essential stops for immersing yourself in Castello's most authentic and artistic soul.
Flavors of the Village – Where to Eat
During the festival, every corner of the village becomes a hub of conviviality and flavor. Here's where to stop to savor traditional dishes... and more:
-Osteria al Nuraghe – Sardinian specialties and the famous roast suckling pig, served in a warm and informal setting
-Rudi's Arrosticini – At the Osteria del Canto in Rusciett, the unmistakable scent of grilled arrosticini light up the party
La Lanterna Inn – A menu that unites tradition and creativity, in a cozy and welcoming environment
Gastronomic Shed – Castle Company – Typical dishes and rustic cuisine, for a complete meal in the heart of the celebration
A sprawling table where every offering speaks to the region, its identity, and the passion of its residents.
How to reach Valsolda Castle
The village of Castello is located in the municipality of Valsolda, in the province of Como, just a few minutes from the Swiss border.
Getting there is simple: you can arrive by car from Porlezza or from Lugano travelling along the SS340dir (Regina State Road).
Follow the map to precisely locate the village, located in a panoramic position above Lake Ceresio, immersed in the quiet of the valley.
Parking and free shuttle service
To ensure easy and sustainable access to the festival, a free shuttle bus service is available from the main car parks located downstream.
We invite you to leave your car in the parking lots indicated in Lodge (schools) o Dasio (Saint Rocco) and use the shuttle to easily reach the entrance to the event.
Consult the map to easily locate the service starting points.
Every gesture counts: beauty returns
Behind every dish served, every toast, every laugh shared at the Castle Festival, there is something bigger: a community that takes care of its history.
Over the years, thanks to the commitment of volunteers and the contributions collected during the events, the Compagnia del Castello has made it possible restoration of the fresco of San Lucio, supported the recovery of the Chapel of Our Lady of Tanché and still contributes to the maintenance of the church of the Holy Innocents in Drano.
But we don't stop here: there are still many places, views and memories to be safeguarded.
With your help and participation, we want to continue to breathe new life into the land we love. beauty, if shared, always returns.
Thanks to those who believe in us
A special thanks goes to all the sponsors and supporters who, with generosity and trust, allow us to transform each edition of the Castle Festival into an unforgettable experience.
Their contribution is not only economic: it is a act of trust towards the community, an investment in culture, beauty and a sense of belonging.
Thank you for being an active part of this project, for sharing with us the desire to protect and enhance our territory.
Without you, none of this would be possible.
