Alifestival - Alessandro Vessella Award

A musical award at the heart of the Marian celebrations

The Alifestival - Alessandro Vessella Award is the annual concert-show that brings a musical spark to the civil celebrations in honor of the Madonna della Grazia, a figure deeply cherished by the community of Alife, a town in the Volturno Valley, in the province of Caserta, Campania. The event takes place in the large square of the Sanctuary of the Madonna della Grazia, which for one night becomes an open-air stage capable of drawing crowds from across the Alto Casertano region and neighboring towns.

In memory of maestro Alessandro Vessella

The award is dedicated to the memory of Alessandro Vessella, a maestro born in Alife in the late 19th century and a leading figure in the history of Italian marching bands: he is credited with a profound reform of the band system and the transcription of great operatic and symphonic works for concert bands. Through this recognition, the Madonna della Grazia Festival Committee aims to promote the artistic legacy of the Alife-born musician far beyond the town's borders, presenting the award to Italian artists and performers invited to the stage.

Italian music and special guests

The heart of the evening is a concert-event hosted by well-known television personalities and animated by singers and songwriters from the national scene. Over the years, popular faces of Italian music have taken the stage, offering tributes to great authors, storytelling moments, and audience engagement. The atmosphere blends the solemnity of the religious festival with the lightness of a show, in a balance between tradition and modernity that has become the event's hallmark.

The Madonna della Grazia Festival

The award is part of the Madonna della Grazia celebrations, which are traditionally held in Alife in September, on the third Sunday, and represent one of the community's most heartfelt events. Alongside religious rites and processions, the civil festivities offer shows, illuminations, and a grand finale of fireworks that light up the sky above the Sanctuary, built in the 20th century over a site that preserves traces of an ancient Roman mausoleum.

A free event for everyone

Like other civil celebration events, the Alessandro Vessella Award takes place outdoors with free admission, open to the citizens of Alife and visitors coming to the Caserta town for the occasion. It is an opportunity to share an evening of music, community, and popular devotion, in the spirit of a tradition that the Municipality of Alife and the Committee renew every year.