Festival of Identities – Soundscapes between Piedmont and Sardinia
Four days of music, traditions, and flavors between Piedmont and Sardinia in the heart of Biella
About Festival of Identities
A cultural bridge between Piedmont and Sardinia
The Festival of Identities – Soundscapes between Piedmont and Sardinia is one of the most cherished events of the Biella summer. Born from the commitment of the Circolo Culturale Sardo Su Nuraghe of Biella—an association that has preserved and promoted Sardinian culture in Piedmont for decades—the festival is organized in collaboration with the Biella Municipal Department of Events and supported by the Autonomous Region of Sardinia. For four days, the heart of the city, particularly Piazza Vittorio Veneto, becomes the stage for an encounter between two identities geographically distant but close in community spirit.
Music, songs, and marching bands
The backbone of the festival is folk music. The evenings feature the soundscapes of Sardinia, blending guitar, imagery, and traditional singing, while the "The Band plays for us" project enlivens various city squares with seven local marching bands and guest ensembles from outside the province. These groups parade through Piazza San Giovanni Bosco, Piazza Fiume, Piazza Battistero, and Piazza Santa Marta before converging in Piazza Vittorio Veneto for the grand finale concert and traditional dances.
Memory, faith, and identity
Beyond the festivities, the festival maintains a strong spiritual and commemorative dimension. The Missa Majore celebrated in the Basilica of San Sebastiano, accompanied by "a tonu sardu" Gregorian chants, and the ceremony at the Nuraghe Chervu monument in memory of the fallen of the First World War, make the festival a moment of collective reflection as well as celebration. The Nuraghe Chervu, a reproduction of a Sardinian nuraghe erected in Biella, is the most visible symbol of this bond between the two communities.
Flavors of the island
The gastronomic dimension is not to be missed: throughout the event, visitors can savor traditional Sardinian cuisine in Piazza Vittorio Veneto, from local products to authentic island dishes, completing the cultural experience.
An event for the city
Literature, music, faith, dance, and cuisine merge in an event that speaks of roots and hospitality, emigration and belonging. The Festival of Identities is now a recognized fixture in the cultural calendar of Biella, in the Province of Biella, in the heart of Piedmont, and a precious opportunity to discover how two different cultures can engage and enrich one another.
Festival of Identities — edition 2026
The 2026 edition opens on Thursday, June 18 at 6:00 PM with the literary meeting "Tales of Sardinia": writer Alessandro Quattrone presents his book Ritorno al nuovo alongside Roberto Perinu, Giovanni Carta, and Dino Gentile.
Friday, June 19 at 6:00 PM, it is time for "Sounds, images, and guitar of Sardinia," an evening dedicated to the island's soundscapes through music and visuals.
Saturday, June 20 from 4:00 PM, the "The Band plays for us" project brings seven local marching bands and the band from Castelletto Sopra Ticino to perform in Piazza San Giovanni Bosco, Piazza Fiume, Piazza Battistero, and Piazza Santa Marta, before converging in Piazza Vittorio Veneto for the evening's final concert and traditional dances.
Sunday, June 21 at 9:00 AM, the Missa Majore in the Basilica of San Sebastiano with "a tonu sardu" Gregorian chants, officiated by Father Martin Martinyuk; at 10:30 AM, the procession towards the Nuraghe Chervu area with a commemorative flower festival in memory of the fallen of the First World War.
Throughout all four days, traditional Sardinian cuisine is available in Piazza Vittorio Veneto. Admission is free.
Programme Festival of Identities 2026
- Thursday, June 18, 6:00 PM – "Tales of Sardinia": Alessandro Quattrone presents "Ritorno al nuovo" with Roberto Perinu, Giovanni Carta, and Dino Gentile
- Friday, June 19, 6:00 PM – "Sounds, images, and guitar of Sardinia"
- Saturday, June 20, from 4:00 PM – "The Band plays for us": seven local bands and the Castelletto Sopra Ticino band in the city squares, final concert and traditional dances in Piazza Vittorio Veneto
- Sunday, June 21, 9:00 AM – Missa Majore in the Basilica of San Sebastiano with "a tonu sardu" Gregorian chants
- Sunday, June 21, 10:30 AM – Procession to the Nuraghe Chervu with a commemorative flower festival for the fallen of the Great War
Highlights Festival of Identities 2026
- "The Band plays for us" with eight marching bands across the squares of Biella
- The Missa Majore with "a tonu sardu" Gregorian chants in the Basilica of San Sebastiano
- The commemorative ceremony at the Nuraghe Chervu
- Traditional Sardinian cuisine in Piazza Vittorio Veneto
Prices Festival of Identities 2026
Practical information — Festival of Identities
Getting there
Biella is accessible by car via the A4 motorway (Carisio or Santhià exits) and by train via the Biella San Paolo and Biella Chiavazza stations. The heart of the event is Piazza Vittorio Veneto, in the city center, reachable on foot from the main parking areas.
Tickets
Admission to all festival events is free.
Information
For the updated program and details, please contact the Circolo Culturale Sardo Su Nuraghe (Via Galileo Galilei 11, Biella; tel. +39 015 34638; [email protected]) or the Biella Municipal Department of Events.
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Where does it take place — Festival of Identities
Piazza Vittorio Veneto
Piazza Vittorio Veneto, 13900 Biella