The Marching Bands Festival of Cortina

Introduction

The Marching Bands Festival of Cortina is also known as "Ra Fèŝta de ra Bàndes" in the local dialect or "Festa Delle Bande" in Italian. It is a week of festivities and music where, each evening, there is an open-air concert played by different music bands from the area. The event ends on the last Sunday of August with a day of festivities in which all the marching bands parade down Corso Italia. At the end of the marching band's parade, there's a big concert where all the participants play together. The festivities go on into the evening.

The Event

"Ra Fèŝta de ra Bàndes" was created in 1977, thanks to the work of the music maestro Renato Sartor and the president of the music band Osvaldo Majoni.

Years ago, the bands were playing in "Angelo Dibona" Square, right under the bell tower, with no coverage. The "shell" pavilion was inaugurated in 1984. It is a retractable roof with a shape that recalls a shell, from which the name comes. The structure was strongly desired by the then president of the Cortina Musical Corps, Osvaldo Majoni, to whom it was named in 2024. The "Conchiglia," the Italian word for "shell," has become the focal point of the "Festa delle Bande" and many other events organized in Cortina.

The "Festa Delle Bande" is a free event that has taken place during the last week of August for many years with a refined and tested formula that unfolds as follows:

• On the evening of the penultimate Sunday of August, the Music Band of Cortina d'Ampezzo opens the "Festa delle Bande" with a parade along Corso Italia and a concert opening at the "Shell" Pavilion, under the bell tower.
• During the following week, every evening, a concert is held at the "Shell" Pavilion, from Monday to Friday. Throughout the week there's a small drink kiosk organized by the music band.
• On the last Saturday of August, the excitement begins. In the evening there's a concert with more energy and rhythm, more suitable for young people. There's a bigger kiosk that offers food and drinks to a wider audience, usually chicken and polenta and other typical specialties, accompanied by beer, wine, and soft drinks.
• On Sunday there is the large parade along Corso Italia, usually at 2 p.m., in which bands from all over Europe participate, alternating with folklore groups and volunteers.
• Once the parade is over, at approximately 3:15 p.m., there is an amazing big concert in "Roma" Square. After the assembly, the music bands play, all together, a few pieces. As you can imagine, it is very emotional.
• Throughout the rest of the day there are concerts, cheerfulness, and other folkloric events. If the sun is shining, there is an air of festivity throughout the town center until evening.

As you may have guessed, the climax of the festival is the last Sunday in August, when music bands and folk groups take over the historic center of Cortina with concerts, parades, carousels, and folk traditions, all flavored with lots of music. A day of traditions, merriment, and color, which we recommend attending at least once in a lifetime.

Throughout the event, kiosks will be working at full capacity to cheer guests with snacks and refreshing drinks. Drink and eat without remorse; all money raised during the "Festa delle Bande" is used to support the Cortina Music Band, and the workers are volunteers without compensation.

Alternatively, you can refresh yourself or have something to eat at one of the many bars in the center of Cortina. Some of them may hold side events. If you have never been to Cortina and you want to know more about the town center, we invite you to read the page we wrote on the subject, where you'll also find some insights on what to eat and where to go for a drink. You can find it below:

What to see in Corso Italia All the buildings and points of interest in the pedestrian area of Cortina d'Ampezzo. Reading time: 17 min.

To help you find your way around the various concerts available, there are some flyers throughout the town. You can find them at the info point in the center, in most of the shops, and in the section about the parade on the official website of the Cortina Music Band. This link will take you to the right section, but you'll need something to translate.

As you may read on the website, there are many more activities organized on Sunday than those listed on this page. Given that they vary from year to year, we encourage you to read the updated program.

The Music Band of Cortina

The Cortina music band was born over a hundred and fifty years ago. In 1861, a headquarters, regulations, and name were given to the small village fanfare: the Musical Corps of Cortina d'Ampezzo.

Over the years, many masters and many presidents followed one another, but it was in 1977 that the Cortina Music Band acquired the identity we know today, with the traditional Ampezzo dress inspired by the models of the mid-eighteenth century.

The Cortina d'Ampezzo Music Corps performs concerts, parades, and other activities both to promote musical culture in the town and to bring young people closer to music and Ampezzo traditions. All these activities reach their climax during the "Fèŝta de ra Bàndes," as we mentioned earlier.

The activities of the Cortina d'Ampezzo Music Corps are not limited to local events. Its members participate in approximately one hundred and fifty annual services in Italy and abroad. The number counts rehearsals, concerts, and musical and folkloric events.

The Cortina d'Ampezzo Music Band counts as many as 66 elements, not counting the dealer and flag bearer who open the parade, followed by the female companions in costume, the beautiful "marketenderin."

As you may have guessed, this is an association that has a strong sentimental value for the people of Cortina. Many residents are happy to have a few occasions in which to proudly wear the splendid traditional dress, supporting an association that also brings prestige outside the Ampezzo area.

The Traditional Outfit

During the Marching Bands Festival, you can see, even among the audience, many women dressed in traditional Tyrolean dress, called "Dirndl," consisting of a colorful skirt and apron paired with a white blouse.

There is also a male variant, consisting of short leather pants called "Lederhosen," paired with a small checkered shirt, usually white and red.

These traditional outfits are also usually used during certain tradition-related events in the territories of Austria, Bavaria, and Tyrol, to which Cortina has belonged for hundreds of years.

Although Tyrolean culture has never particularly been felt in Ampezzo, the costume has been quite successful, to the point that tourists and residents like to wear "Dirndl" and "Lederhosen" at some Ampezzo events, such as the Summer Party or the "Festa delle Bande."

When it comes to costumes, however, we must not confuse traditionally inspired outfits, which are used by sympathizers, with traditional ones with real historical value.

Usually modern Dirndls have very bright colors and are quite simple, created to be used only for one day and made to be comfortable. The same goes for "Lederhosen," where the more modern models are softer and made of suede or artificially aged leather.

The outfits worn by some groups, such as the Band of Cortina, many of the Tyrolean music bands, or the "Scizar de Anpezo," are called Tracht and are uniforms of great traditional value, with a centuries-old history and a very precise code for both color matching and choice of accessories.

Usually these dresses, which are not very comfortable to wear, are made of wool and thick leather, with bone buttons and hand-sewn decorations. The colors are very simple, in pastel or natural hues. They are certainly not the ideal clothes for hot August days.

Curiosities

Before we conclude, we want to leave you with some interesting facts about the Cortina Marching Bands Festival, in no particular order.

The event has a large number of supporters; one of them is the famous Denis Novato. He is a virtuoso of the diatonic accordion; he was also the world champion of accordion in 1993, and he has 25 victories in several international competitions. We invite you to watch the program to find out if a concert by him is scheduled; it is worth going to listen to him.

If you are approached by nice girls with a small barrel over their shoulder, they are volunteers of the Music Band of Cortina. They sell a small glass of liquor upon payment of a small contribution, often with a free offer. It is usually a sweet drink, not too alcoholic, and this is certainly a very characteristic and fun way to enjoy a sip of Schnapps in Corso Italia.

If you see a group near the kiosk yelling and laughing as they try to hammer a nail into a block of wood, you are watching the game of "peta ciodo," which translates as "hit the nail." We don't know the exact origin of this game, but it's a lot of fun. It's about being able to hammer a nail into the block before your opponents. You have only one hit, then you have to pass it on to the person next to you. It may seem pretty trivial, but the hammer is hollow in the center; it's less easy than you may think. There are many variations of the game; if you decide to participate, ask those present for the rules, and do not forget that, usually, the loser pays a round of beer for all the other players.

Conclusion

We hope you liked this page on the "Festa delle Bande" of Cortina d'Ampezzo, also known as "Fèŝta de ra Bàndes." Before saying goodbye, we would suggest you read our home page, with all the articles we wrote about Cortina d'Ampezzo.

If you want to thank us, you can read the page Support Us. If you only want to suggest a change, propose something, or just say hello, in the section Contacts and Info, you'll find all the ways to reach us.