Appennino Festival (Capitignano stage)

The Appennino Festival in Capitignano

The Appennino Festival is a traveling event that, for over fifteen years, has supported the rebirth of the central Italian Apennine territories affected by the 2016 earthquake. The festival spans dozens of villages across Abruzzo, Marche, Lazio, and Umbria, featuring hikes, concerts, and open-air performances that weave together mountain exploration with the promotion of local communities and traditions. The 2026 edition includes a stop in Capitignano, a municipality in the province of L'Aquila.

Capitignano, a mountain village in the Gran Sasso and Laga National Park

Capitignano is located in the upper Aterno Valley, at an altitude of approximately 900 meters, within the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park. This small mountain town in inland Abruzzo, surrounded by forests, pastures, and trails, provides an ideal setting for an event rooted in nature and hiking. The Capitignano stage is part of a journey that highlights the lesser-known corners of the central Apennines, restoring visibility to a landscape rich in scenery and history.

A blend of hiking and concerts

Like other stages of the festival, the Capitignano event follows the signature format that has made the festival famous: a day in the open air that combines nature walks with live music. The 2026 edition features a concert by the On Air Band on Wednesday, August 19th. It is a moment of collective celebration that, true to the festival's tradition, goes hand-in-hand with exploring the area and meeting the local community.

A festival for the rebirth of the Apennines

Promoted by the Extraordinary Commissioner for the 2016 Earthquake Reconstruction together with BIM Tronto and mountain basin consortia, with the support of the four involved regions, the Appennino Festival has a distinctly inclusive and naturalistic mission. Participation in the stages is free, though advance registration for hikes is generally required via the official website. The Capitignano stage is part of a broader path that, edition after edition, brings life, culture, and slow tourism back to the villages of the Apennine crater.