Alba di Note

Alba di Note, the September 1st ritual in Monopoli

Every year, at the break of dawn on September 1st, the historic center of Monopoli (in the province of Bari, Puglia) fills with people heading down to the still-dark sea to renew an ancient gesture: the dawn swim. It is a deeply rooted tradition among the people of Monopoli, a good-luck dip that marks the transition from summer to autumn and, according to popular belief, protects against illness for the coming year. Centered around this ritual is Alba di Note, a project that enriches the anticipation of the light with a concert designed to engage in a dialogue with the rising sun.

Music and sea at sunrise

The concept of Alba di Note is simple yet powerful: to transform the most intimate moment of the day into a shared experience. Shortly before six in the morning, hundreds of people gather on the Porta Vecchia promenade, between the old city walls and the water, to attend a concert that fades away just as the sun emerges from the Adriatic. Over the years, the festival has hosted high-caliber artists, from jazz tributes to Ennio Morricone to the electronic and visionary sounds of Monopoli-born musician Giorgia Angiuli, who masterfully weaves electronic languages with acoustic influences in a unique sonic dramaturgy.

A Ritratti Festival spin-off

Alba di Note is promoted by the Municipality of Monopoli and is now the September spin-off of the Ritratti Festival, the event that enlivens the Monopoli summer and chooses to extend the experience beyond the warm season with this dawn appointment. The combination of popular heritage, urban landscape, and high-quality musical programming has made the event one of the most defining and anticipated dates on the city's calendar, drawing thousands of people to the waterfront each year.

A fixed end-of-summer appointment

Scheduled for years on September 1st, Alba di Note has become a collective ritual that unites the Monopoli community and visitors in a single act: diving into the Puglian sea while music accompanies the first ray of sun. A poetic way to bid farewell to summer and welcome the new months, blending tradition, culture, and landscape.