Fiemme Music Festival 2026 — Inside the Festival, Not Just Behind the Lens

Fiemme Music Festival 2026 was my first year officially working within the media team, but not my first time experiencing the festival behind the scenes.

Following my brother Simone Da Col, one of the festival's organizers and resident DJs since the very first edition in 2019, I've spent years helping with logistics and production. Before photography, the festival meant building structures, setting up spaces, and spending entire days at the venue until late at night.

This year, though, I experienced it mostly between the backstage, the pit, and the stage area with two Leicas around my neck: a Leica Q3 and a Leica SL2-S. Two very different cameras, but both perfect for documenting such a dynamic festival, especially under difficult conditions.

The weather heavily affected most of the weekend. Rain and cold temperatures changed the pace both for the crowd and for everyone working behind the festival. I personally covered most of the event while dealing with fever and the flu.

Compared to the early years, the change has been huge. From the Predazzo sports hall in 2019 to a festival featuring three stages and thousands of attendees, Fiemme Music Festival has grown rapidly while still maintaining the feeling of an event built by local people, and not only around the line-up.