The Costa Fiorita Blues jazz and blues festival has been running for some ten years now. The first edition was held in Maccagno back in 1998 with a top-flight godmother in the form of Dana Gillespie. The event is held on the Lombardy side of Lake Maggiore, in one or more different locations every year, including Laveno Mombello, Luino, Ispra, Maccagno and Lavena Ponte Tresa in the Ceresio area. Guests of international fame abound, with names like Ray Gelato, Zac Prada, James Thompson, Jaime Dolce and others. Closely associated with Costa Fiorita Blues is the Black & Blue festival of Afro-American blues, R’n’B, soul, funk, and rock-blues.
One of the leading events of its kind in Italy, this festival provides quality entertainment, fun and culture.
Now in its ninth edition, the festival has showcased major international artists and attracted attention not only from the local media but from the national and specialist press too.
The festival’s 2009 edition includes seven days of events, photographic exhibitions, films, aperitif parties, DJ sets and, as always, concerts by top bluesmen like Roy Roberts, the legendary Hot Tuna with guitarist Jorma Kaukonen, the award winning Watermelon Slim and many more.
An important new section has been added this year: Black & Blue Giovani, an evening dedicated to up and coming young artists.