"W la Banda!" Music Festival

A band festival for Arona

The "W la Banda!" Music Festival is the summer concert series promoted by the San Giorgio Music Band Association in the town of Arona, on the Piedmontese shore of Lake Maggiore, in the Province of Novara. Rather than a single event, it is a series of performances that, over several weeks, brings the band's music to the town's central squares and outlying districts, from Mercurago to Dagnente, and the historic Piazza San Graziano.

The event was born from a desire to bring the band back to the heart of community life: transforming residential courtyards and public squares into places of gathering and sharing through music. It is a popular, free event designed for families, residents, and tourists visiting Lake Maggiore.

The San Giorgio Music Band

At the heart of the festival is the San Giorgio Music Band, an ensemble founded in 2018 and established as a cultural association in 2021. It brings together about thirty musicians from Arona and the surrounding area, under the direction of Maestro Christoph Monferini. The band operates under the patronage of the City of Arona and with the support of the regional and provincial presidency of ANBIMA, the National Association of Autonomous Italian Musical Bands.

Programming and atmosphere

Each edition features a musical theme that serves as a common thread. The 2026 program is dedicated to the great female icons of music, a journey that weaves together legends of the past and contemporary pop stars. The arrangements, largely written by Maestro Christoph Monferini, highlight the diverse nuances and musical personalities of the artists being honored.

• Open-air concerts in the squares and courtyards of Arona
• Accessible repertoire, from Italian light music to great classics
• Free admission to all events
• Involvement of local districts: Mercurago, Dagnente, and the town center

Arona and Lake Maggiore

Overlooking Lake Maggiore, Arona is one of the liveliest towns in the Piedmontese lake district, known for its lakeside promenade, the Colossus of Saint Charles Borromeo, and a rich season of summer events. The "W la Banda!" festival fits into this context by celebrating the band tradition as a local cultural heritage, capable of enlivening the area during the busiest months of the year.

For visitors, attending a San Giorgio Music Band concert in Piazza San Graziano is a chance to experience an authentic moment of Arona life, amidst open-air music and the evening atmosphere of a Lake Maggiore town.