Vallemaggia Magic Blues is about to make the notes and voices of artists from all over the world resound in the squares of Avegno, Brontallo, Cevio, Maggia and Moghegno. Nights of "Magical vibes" that I am sure will make young and old alike sing, dance and dream. Part of the magic of music lies in conveying emotions and making the strings of our hearts vibrate even if the singer(s) express themselves in a language we don't necessarily understand and sing about experiences and places that are unfamiliar to us. Music is a language we all speak, conveyed by rhythms and melodies that echo in our inner selves. It transports us into the world and within ourselves, uniting distant cultures, peoples and eras in an experience that is peculiar to humanity. Since 2002, Vallemaggia Magic Blues has been a valuable promoter of these essential properties of music. The Department of Education, Culture and Sport (DECS) of the Canton of Ticino is pleased to support with conviction for many years this festival promoter of music and culture. This is the first edition in which I convey my official greetings as Director of DECS, and I take this opportunity to thank all and sundry who make possible year after year the organization and holding of the event, and to wish all and sundry of you nights of magic in the beautiful settings of the Vallemaggia.

Marina Carobbio Guscetti, State Councilor 
Director of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports

A sociologist who was fashionable a few years ago wrote that the enthusiast is a tireless dreamer, an inventor of projects, one who infects others with his dreams. He is not blind; he is not unconscious. He knows that there are difficulties, sometimes insoluble obstacles. But he never gets down and if necessary, he starts again, renews himself. His mind is fertile, he continually seeks roads, alternative paths. In short, he is a creator of possibilities. So, when I think of the Magic Blues and its handful of organizers, the word that comes to mind is perhaps 'enthusiasm'. I think of that healthy enthusiasm of those who, while keeping their feet firmly planted on the ground, always aim to give the best of themselves to turn their dreams into reality. Magic Blues has plenty of enthusiasm, combined with professionalism and organizational talent. This is the key to the success of this event, which from year-to-year surprises with the quality of its musical program and its ability to create added value in terms of economy and tourism. Making a festival work, finding the necessary funds, and setting up a noteworthy artistic cast is not easy, and even less so in a peripheral location like Vallemaggia. The organizers therefore deserve all our admiration and support. To them go our best wishes for success, and to you who read these lines and attend the concerts that of spending unforgettable evenings. So let's meet in the valley and get infected by the enthusiasm and music of the Vallemaggia Magic Blues!

Aldo Merlini
President of Organizzazione turistica Lago Maggiore e Valli

It was born almost as a bet, was developed with great expertise and immediately entered our hearts. Our festival animates the squares: Cevio, Lodano, Moghegno and Giumaglio in the first edition, then capillary throughout the Valley involving also many grotti. Step by step it has been able to grow, building on the experiences gained in the previous editions and evolving up to its current state. Now Vallemaggia Magic Blues is an unmissable appointment, an event that punctuates the summer days of the people of Vallemaggia, appreciated and supported with pride. It could have stopped at the first difficulties, with its protagonists in the grip of discouragement caused by bad weather or uncertainty related to the pandemic. Instead, even in the darkest moments, it showed resilience, adaptability, and proactivity. Perhaps rationally it could never even have seen the light, it would have remained a dream, crushed by fears, in the grip of pessimists. Instead, in the face of every problem, the Magic Blues was able to react by presenting concrete proposals to facilitate its solution. A dream that, cradled with passion, has been able to become a solid reality without losing its magic. A contagious positive example that is the child of forward-looking choices.

Timo Cadlolo
Secretary Associazione Comuni valmaggesi (ASCOVAM)

Dear friends of Magic Blues,
on Friday, July 12, the 22nd edition of the festival Vallemaggia Magic Blues will begin, during which we will again have the opportunity to listen to lots of good music and spend magical evenings on the squares of our valley. The Lake Maggiore and Valleys region, in addition to being rich in breathtaking sights, gems of craftsmanship, culinary delicacies and fascinating people, promotes and supports great and exciting events throughout the year, with a special emphasis on the great summer of music, so that guests who come to us can experience exciting moments. The Vallemaggia Magic Blues, thanks to the commitment, expertise, foresight and above all passion of those who work there, has rightfully become part of our destination's top events, accompanying such monumental events as the Locarno Film Festival, Moon and Stars and Jazz Ascona.  So, let's note down right now the festival evenings in the diary and get ready to experience lots of Magical vibes. Long live Vallemaggia and long live Vallemaggia Magic Blues!

Simone Stoira
Vallemaggia representative Presidential Office and Board of Directors Lake Maggiore and Valleys Tourist Organization

Dear blues friends, 

And the sparkling combination of beer and blues is back again for this edition. From the very beginning, Heineken has been proud to support this event with its Eichhof beer. We have had the great pleasure of sharing the success of the past 22 years with the organizers and the very loyal audience that has filled the various squares of the Maggia Valley. After 22 years, together we can call ourselves a family. The Vallemaggia Magic Blues is an event that aggregates and unites like few; where all participants are involved and participate.
On behalf of the Heineken Group, we would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who work with great commitment and passion every year to make this "magical" festival possible. In particular, Fabio and his team, who year after year manage to make the festival special and unique. Each edition surprises us with great names, novelties and a top-notch culinary proposal!
The festival is now an international benchmark. The list of artists who have performed on the Vallemaggia Magic Blues stage over the years is incredible. True blues legends have played in this magnificent valley but also several up-and-coming faces who will shape the future. So let us be carried away by these "magical vibes!" and raise a glass to another successful edition.

Mariella Loser, Kevin Maissen, Andrea Zanetti, Heineken Switzerland

Last year's Vallemaggia Magic Blues once again offered memorable evenings thanks to the rich program of the 21st edition "... and the Magic goes on!!!". Despite often adverse weather conditions, a large number of people crowded the squares of Vallemaggia. Raiffeisen wholeheartedly confirms its support for this Festival, which succeeds in promoting our beautiful area through musical events that enhance the local squares and promote encounters between residents and visitors. These values are perfectly in line with the Raiffeisen Group's DNA, which constantly focuses on quality, proximity, integration, and hospitality. In addition, the Raiffeisen Banks of Locarno and Valleys - the Festival's main sponsors - are constantly committed to fostering local initiatives, contributing to the region's cultural, musical and sports development. This year, under the motto "Magical vibes!", we are once again looking forward to unforgettable evenings thanks to Magic Blues. Raiffeisen members, by presenting their Member plus card, can enjoy a 5-franc discount on admission, making the experience even more rewarding. The Member plus platform offers Raiffeisen members and customers a range of exclusive benefits for concerts, events, museums, ski passes and more. With more than two million members nationwide and more than one hundred and twenty thousand in Italian-speaking Switzerland, the opportunities to take advantage of these offers are vast. For more information and to explore all available offers, please visit our website at www.memberplus.raiffeisen.ch. Finally, we hope that all participants will experience special moments at Vallemaggia Magic Blues, immersed in a unique atmosphere.

Cristiano Terribilini
Chairman of the Executive Board
Raiffeisen Bank Losone Pedemonte Vallemaggia

Hans and Viviane Borter have always been two great friends of our festival. The successful entrepreneur in the field of printing and his charming lady from St. Gallen, who as sponsors have been making an active contribution to the success of our event for more than 20 years without interruption. Many of the thick concerts that have passed over the years would not even have been conceivable without their valuable contribution. But Hans and Viviane Borter are more than just supporters. They love Vallemaggia Magic Blues and as soon as they have the opportunity, they come to Vallemaggia to savor our concerts in person. A presence theirs that fills us with joy and pride each time. We wish Mr. and Mrs. Hans and Viviane Borter the warmest welcome to the 22nd edition and big thanks for their valuable support. 

Viviane and Hans Borter

Dear friends of Vallemaggia Magic Blues, what a pleasure and honor it is to be asked to write a few words on the occasion of this 22nd edition, which once again presents itself as "The Place to be" in the summer of 2024. A magnificent program will see artists from all over the world perform in your unique and so welcoming villages of this "Magic Valley" that we love so much. These musicians include 7 Swiss bands, including the winners of the Swiss Blues Challenge 2023 Dan Mudd feat. bearbeat, proving the festival's commitment to the Swiss Blues Society. The Sierre Blues Festival family enjoys a close friendship with the Vallemaggia Magic Blues family. This summer, we'll be crossing the Simplon Pass again, and then the Centovalli, with great anticipation, as we look forward to our visit to Ticino and the magnificent musical evenings presented by Vallemaggia Magic Blues. We wish you every success for this 2024 edition. See you soon!

Silvio Caldelari
President of the Sierre Blues Festival and the Swiss Blues Society

For years a question has been lingering in my mind, one of those questions for which it is difficult to find a real answer. The question in question is so simple that it seems to be almost trivial, but like all simple things it eventually hides unexpected complexities. And the question is: how difficult can it be to promote the blues in Europe? We do not have the answer ready, to this as to the much more important questions of life, and we suspect that those who say they have the recipe with the secret ingredient are lying underneath, first and foremost to themselves, as well as to all of us. But it is always useful to ask oneself whether and how to proceed in order to realise a project that involves more and more people. And a festival like Vallemaggia Magic Blues has always involved the entire population of this enchanting place in the Italian part of Switzerland. One thing is certain, at least as far as the blues are concerned, but perhaps also for other musical genres and passions let's say 'niche', that it is easier to organise a gathering, a festival, an event, away from the large population centres. There are basically two reasons for this, at least in our opinion, namely the risk for any event in a large city to go almost unnoticed in the face of the varied and almost infinite range of entertainment on offer, and on the other hand, the almost total participation of the population of small/medium-sized towns when they become places of interest for events that are now historic and unique. Added to this is a component linked to the discovery of less frequented places, nature and landscapes that are still 'authentic', traditional flavours and the typical warm and unreserved welcome of those who are proud of their roots and their territory. This last aspect is very much felt in Vallemaggia, and every time we were there it was like returning home to family or visiting relatives after a long absence, and then celebrating all together, with good food, as is typical of the conviviality that never fails, and accompanied also by excellent music. The question of how and what it means to promote the blues in Europe remains open. Indeed, the roots of this music go back a long way in space and time. We speak of Africa, which according to many scholars was most likely the cradle of civilisation, but if there was any doubt about it, of one thing we are sure, it was certainly the cradle of music and rhythm. And like all things that have a long future ahead of them, the blues was born out of a mixture of the old and the new, tying in with the European traditions that the discoverers of the new world brought with them to the Americas. That is why the goal of promoting a musical genre that did not originate here may seem strange, but quoting President J.F. Kennedy, the West decided to do it 'not because it is easy, but precisely because it is hard' (even if the original theme was more spatial than artistic). And so, every year, offering a calendar of several evenings from July to August, with a varied and special programme that includes more and more artists from the old continent, as witnessed by the European Blues Night, a 'magic' and repeatable formula that more and more festivals are imitating, the Vallemaggia Magic Blues festival continues its work of disseminating and promoting blues music. Because perhaps the answer to the initial question, which will continue to swirl around in our heads for a long time, does not really exist, or rather will never be a definitive answer. It is necessary to continue every day to promote the music we love, a never-ending, never-ending work, but for this reason even more beautiful and captivating, with the baggage of experiences, encounters, discoveries and even achievements that it brings. We are sure that Magic Blues will continue tirelessly on this road, so all that remains is to wish everyone a safe journey!

Davide Grandi
President of the European Blues Union

A winning team cannot be touched, seem to say the historical promoters of Vallemaggia Magic Blues to the new fans, more and more numerous, and to the loyalists who, since 2002, begin the countdown already the day after the last note of the edition just ended. In a crescendo of commitment, hospitality, and quality of the musical offerings, from year to year the festival has been consolidated, establishing itself well beyond our borders and bringing new legions of fans closer to the blues: the one that will accompany us from July 12 to August 8 will be the 22nd edition. In symbolism, the number 22 has various meanings, all propitious and, therefore, auspicious. For the Neapolitan smorfia is that of the madman, and a bit mad, at least initially, were the founders in conceiving such a peculiar festival, dedicated to a popular genre yes, but not majority and intergenerational. Lucidly mad, then, to set it in a valley as splendid as it is unaccustomed to welcoming, in its historic squares, thousands of people at once. 22 is also the number of the dream (the 11) multiplied by 2 (which is that of the construction and collaboration that transforms dreams into reality): in short, reading between the lines, again this summer, between Avegno, Brontallo, Cevio, Maggia and Moghegno, we will be able to dream twice under the stars. If numerology really has any basis, those who will benefit from the double digits will once again be, all together, the organizers, the artists and the music lovers and, above all - thanks to the induced image to which RSI will also try to contribute once again with its presence - an entire, beautiful region. We hope that also this collaboration, as well as those that RSI maintains with numerous events promoted throughout Italian-speaking Switzerland, will contribute to consolidate the attachment of our region to the Public Service, just when the funding of the SSR (and therefore of RSI) is once again being called into question. Happy Festival to all!

Mario Timbal
Director of RSI