Music, culture and European encounters in the Dolomites
From 4 till 6 September 2025, our EFA Member I Suoni delle Dolomiti had the pleasure of welcoming three representatives of the European Festivals Association (EFA) to visit their festival taking place from 27 August till 4 October amid the Trentino Dolomites.
The visit offered Sophie Detremmerie from Flanders Festival Ghent and Stroom, Thomas Hummel from Usedom Music Festival, and Naomi Mul from Wonderfeel a unique opportunity to experience the festival up close in its iconic high-altitude setting. They discovered the innovative and sustainable organisational practices that define I Suoni delle Dolomiti, and immersed themselves in the one-of-a-kind atmosphere that merges nature, music, and community.
A highlight of the visit was the meeting with Artistic Director Mario Brunello. This moment of exchange fostered a meaningful dialogue between international artistic visions and the festival’s deep local roots.
Their presence was particularly significant as the festival celebrates its 30th edition - a milestone connected to EFA's ongoing mission to foster cultural connections, artistic collaboration, and best practices across Europe.
The visit reaffirmed I Suoni delle Dolomiti as a shining example of a European festival that harmoniously blends nature, environmental awareness, artistic excellence, and cross-border exchange.
In the heart of the Dolomites, music once again proved to be a powerful bridge between people, places, and ideas - a shared European vision brought to life.
This festival in the middle of the mountains knows how to create an incredible experience. With some of the wildest mountains as backdrop for a concert, the location is unique. The fact that you need to take a cable car and then hike for some time, adds to the feeling of being part of something exclusive. Exclusive in the sense of reconnecting with the basics: almost no stage, almost no amplification, almost no hosts, no seats, no comfort - but ‘just’ music in robust nature.
Trentino Marketing is behind this festival, which is a tool to bring tourists to the Dolomiti during the autumn season. And with success: around 800 visitors for an early morning concert at 6.30 AM in a remote spot for Chinese music with Wu Wei - and about 6-700 for the noon concert with Les Mécanos from France. The sentence that keeps turning in my head - said by Alice from Trentino Marketing when arriving in the morning concert: ‘Find the best rock to sit on!’ Sophie Detremmerie
It was really an amazing experience, the audience merged with the music and the nature. Thomas Hummel
The sunrise concert was absolutely magical: going up the mountains in the dark, following the fire-lit path, then watching the sun rise between the mountain peaks, forming a magical backdrop for Wu Wei and his ensemble. Every now and then, the sheng and accordion blended in perfectly with the cowbells. The festival allows these elements of nature to speak for itself, by not adding any unnecessary things. Truly a unique experience in time, place and space! Naomi Mul
