From Lake Como to the global stage: Alberto Fumagalli on building Italy’s Nameless Festival into an international EDM destination

Mumbai, 15^th July 2026: For over a decade, Nameless Festival has grown from a passion project by a group of friends into one of Europe’s most celebrated electronic music festivals. Set against the breathtaking backdrop of Italy’s Lake Como, the festival has become synonymous with unforgettable experiences, world-class electronic music, and a community-first philosophy. In this exclusive conversation with Vishwa Deepak Dikshit, Founder – MusiCulture, Alberto Fumagalli, Founder – Nameless Festival, opens up about the origin of the festival’s intriguing name, the challenges of building a globally recognised festival from a small Italian town, and why emotions, not line-ups, remain at the heart of Nameless Festival.

The name “Nameless Festival” immediately grabs attention. We also discovered that it has roots in Alessandro Manzoni’s iconic novel. What’s the story behind the name?

Yes, that’s absolutely right. The name comes from The Betrothed (I Promessi Sposi) by Alessandro Manzoni, one of Italy’s most influential authors. Manzoni wasn’t just a literary icon, he played a huge role in shaping the modern Italian language, and he was born and raised in Lecco, our hometown.

When we were planning the festival, we wanted to create something connected to our region, either the mountains, Lake Como, or Manzoni’s legacy. Instead of choosing something obvious, we wanted a name with a hidden meaning. That’s how “Nameless” was born. It carries history without being overly direct, and today it has become an identity of its own.

Looking back over twelve editions, how would you describe the journey of Nameless Festival?

We started simply because we loved electronic dance music. We weren’t experienced festival organisers; we were just passionate fans. In 2012, we began working on the idea, and in 2013 we hosted the very first edition.

Honestly, we didn’t really know what organising a festival meant. We thought we were simply putting together a big outdoor event. Financially, it was extremely challenging, and almost everything that could go wrong did go wrong. It rained throughout the event, just as it seems to do almost every year.

But we were a close group of friends who believed in the idea. Instead of giving up, we kept pushing forward, hoping that one day our efforts would lead somewhere meaningful.

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Was there a defining moment when Nameless transformed from an event into a true festival experience?

Absolutely. That happened in 2015 when we moved the festival to the mountains in Barzio. That’s when we realised that a festival isn’t about the line-up.

A festival is about creating emotions, building memories, and giving people a shared experience. We were hosting it in a tiny mountain village with around 10,000 residents, and we saw how people from Milan travelled there just to experience something unique.

Those five years completely changed our perspective. We understood that festivals are built around communities, not just artists.

The festival has changed locations, before returning to Lecco. Why did you eventually come back to where it all began?

As Nameless grew, Barzio became too small for us. Transporting thousands of people into the mountains became increasingly difficult, so we moved to a larger venue in 2019.

The venue itself was beautiful, but we realised accessibility matters just as much as scenery. Visitors struggled with transportation because public connectivity wasn’t ideal.

Eventually, we decided to return to Lecco, our original home. This time everything came together perfectly. Visitors could arrive by train, walk from nearby hotels, and experience both the festival and Lake Como together. It finally became the experience we had always imagined.

Organising a large-scale music festival in smaller towns often leads to resistance from local communities. Was that something you experienced?

Building trust takes time. Fortunately, we never moved far away from our hometown. Every edition of Nameless has been organised close to Lecco, so people watched us grow over the years.

Today, I always tell Italian newspapers that the biggest achievement isn’t the festival itself. The biggest achievement is that the city now feels the festival belongs to them.

Initially, people worried about traffic and disruptions. After experiencing it, the community embraced it. Today, Nameless is no longer Alberto’s festival, it belongs to the territory and its people.

Since the name originates from Alessandro Manzoni’s famous character, does the philosophy of Nameless Festival reflect the character of ‘L’Innominato’?

The connection is more symbolic and geographical. Interestingly, the famous Innominato Castle is only a few minutes away from the festival venue. Visitors can actually walk there and enjoy one of the most spectacular views of Lake Como. That’s probably the closest connection we have.

Do you see Nameless Festival expanding internationally?

Yes, we’re actively exploring that possibility. The world already has many festivals, so we don’t want to simply replicate another music event elsewhere. Instead, we want to export the Lake Como experience, the Italian lifestyle, the atmosphere, and the emotions associated with Nameless.

We’ve received proposals from Japan, South Korea, and even the United States. We’re carefully evaluating them because we want international editions to preserve the soul of Nameless rather than simply carrying its name.

How international has the festival audience become today?

Around 20 percent of our audience now comes from outside Italy. Approximately 10 percent travel from the United States, while around 5 percent come from Asia. The rest represent countries from across Europe and other parts of the world.

One statistic I’m particularly proud of is our audience balance. Around half of our attendees are women, which isn’t very common for electronic music festivals in Italy. Most visitors are between 18 and 25 years old, followed by those between 25 and 32.

Why did you choose electronic dance music as the foundation of Nameless Festival?

Because we simply love it! Sometimes, the simplest answer is the most honest one.

When you start something that isn’t guaranteed to make money, passion has to come before business. If you’re building something only for profit, it’s difficult to survive the challenges.

We built Nameless around the music we genuinely love, and that’s what continues to drive us today.

What kind of community impact you are looking to achieve through Nameless?

I would love to make the community more linked to the festival. With bigger number, and better events outside the festival, I would like to keep them involved in the Nameless events for the whole week.

I believe that building up an experience around the Lake Como would be the right move to create something unique and more sustainable in longer term.

What are your plans for 2027, considering the dates are already announced?

2027 is the same as the last few years. Trying to keep growing in terms of the quality of the festival, not necessarily focussed on the numbers, if I have to say. I would like to have a festival that becomes the best festival when it comes to quality, services, experiences.

We need to focus on living good times together!

From humble beginnings in Lecco to becoming a globally recognised electronic music destination, Nameless Festival proves that passion, perseverance, and community can build something extraordinary. As Alberto Fumagalli looks towards global expansion, one vision remains unchanged, creating unforgettable experiences where music, culture, and people come together to celebrate life beyond the stage.

Alberto Fumagalli Photo Credit: Fiamma Civillini