225 Years of Musikkapelle Villnöß — Jubilee Marquee Festival

A celebration for the 225th anniversary of the Funes band

During the last weekend of May 2026, the village of Funes/Villnöß, nestled among the Odle peaks in the Dolomites of the Bolzano province, experienced one of the most significant moments in its community life: the Jubiläumszeltfest for the 225th anniversary of the Musikkapelle Villnöß. The grand marquee festival took place from May 29 to 31, 2026, at the Sportzone St. Peter/Pitzack in the hamlet of San Pietro, marking the highlight of the band's jubilee year.

One of the oldest bands in South Tyrol

The Musikkapelle Villnöß is one of the oldest brass ensembles in South Tyrol. Its origins date back to 1801: according to parish records, a small brass group performed during the church consecration on September 21 of that year. Since then, the band has accompanied the religious and civic life of the valley—processions, anniversaries, patronal feasts, and concerts—becoming a true symbol of the Funes community's identity. The motto chosen for the jubilee, "Tradition für insre Zukunft" (tradition for our future), perfectly encapsulates this bond between historical roots and the new generation of musicians.

Three days of music and community

For three days, the festival marquee served as the meeting point for the entire valley and numerous guests arriving from neighboring towns in the Isarco Valley. The program featured the typical highlights of major South Tyrolean brass festivals:

• Brass and folk music (Böhmische) concerts with the host band and guest ensembles;
• Dance evenings with live bands and DJ sets for younger crowds;
• Family and children's program, featuring the convivial atmosphere typical of South Tyrolean Zeltfests;
• The grand jubilee raffle, with the Sunday draw held in the marquee, offering a car worth approximately 20,000 euros as the prize;
• Local cuisine and gastronomic specialties served under the marquee.

In the heart of the Val di Funes

The festival setting is among the most picturesque in the Dolomites: Funes/Villnöß, located about 30 kilometers northeast of Bolzano, is world-renowned for the panorama of the Odle Group and the small church of San Giovanni in Ranui. The Sportzone St. Peter, in the hamlet of Pitzack, sits at an altitude of about 1,100 meters and transformed into the center of village life for the jubilee. An exceptional event, tied to a milestone that occurs only once every many years, yet fully in line with the tradition of brass festivals that animate the towns of Trentino-Alto Adige every summer.