Bellinzona hosts Swiss folk music festival
The town of Bellinzona in southern Switzerland is hosting the national festival of traditional Swiss folk music. Around 60,000 visitors and 2,000 musicians are expected at the free event, which takes place every four years.
Over 400 concerts are planned for the four-day festival, which runs from Thursday until Sunday. According to the organisers, this is the first time that so many Ticino groups have taken part in the national folk music festival. Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis is expected to attend the end of the event.
The 14th national festival of Swiss folk music represents “a good opportunity to introduce Bellinzona to Switzerland”, Mayor Mario Branda told reporters recently. Bellinzona is keen to catch up Locarno, Ascona, Lugano and the Maggia and Verzasca valleys, which are considered the most popular tourist destinations in canton Ticino.
The Swiss Folk Music Association (VSV) is also celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. Founded in Sachseln in canton Obwalden in 1963, the association emerged from the Zurich-Central Switzerland Dance and Entertainment Music Association. Since then, the association and its 9,000 members have been committed to promoting and cultivating Swiss folk music.
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