Concerto all'Alpe Vegliana

A concert where the mountain is the stage

The Concerto all'Alpe Vegliana is no ordinary event. To attend, you don't just buy a ticket: you have to hike. Your destination is Alpe Vegliana, a historic mountain pasture nestled in the woods and meadows above Rimella, a small village with deep Walser roots in Val Mastallone, in the Upper Valsesia, in the province of Vercelli at the northernmost tip of Piedmont. Here, among dry-stone huts and flowering meadows, folk music resonates in one of the region's most evocative alpine settings.

Alpe Vegliana: 1000 years of history brought back to life

Alpe Vegliana is a place of ancient charm: its first documented mention dates back to 1031, in a Milanese deed where it appears as "Valedana Sancti Petri". For centuries, it served as a summer pasture for dozens of cattle and cheese production, before being abandoned for nearly seventy years. Since 2015, a group of volunteers has launched a passionate revitalization project: restoring trails, rebuilding huts using traditional dry-stone techniques, and rehabilitating the meadows and terraces. It is within this recovered cultural landscape that the alp's musical events now come to life.

The ascent and the concert

The day begins early in the morning with a meeting at Pianello, where the guided ascent to the alp begins. This is a proper mountain hike: sturdy boots, layered clothing, and a basic level of fitness are required. Once you reach Alpe Vegliana, the concert takes place during the middle of the day, amidst the pastures, with the audience seated on the grass. Lunch is a picnic: everyone brings their own food, in the convivial and non-commercial spirit that defines the project. The descent in the afternoon is done independently.

Walser culture and Valsesia

Rimella is one of the centers of Walser culture, the ancient Germanic-speaking people who colonized the high alpine valleys during the Middle Ages, leaving a profound mark on the architecture, language, and traditions of Valsesia. Attending the Concerto all'Alpe Vegliana is an opportunity to immerse yourself in this unique heritage in one of the greenest and least-known valleys of Piedmont.

An event for lovers of the authentic mountains

This concert is aimed at those seeking a different kind of experience: no crowds, no spectacular stages, just real music in a place steeped in history and nature. It is a free event, supported by volunteers, where the effort of the climb is rewarded by melodies, panoramic views, and the encounter with a community that, with patience and love, is bringing a thousand-year-old mountain pasture back to life.