Calvi International Street Artists Festival

An evening that turns a village into a theatre

The Calvi International Street Artists Festival is one of the most anticipated events in the late summer calendar of the Sannio region. For one single evening in early September, the entire Via Roma—over 800 meters of road in the heart of this small town in the province of Benevento—is closed to traffic and handed over to jugglers, acrobats, clowns, and musicians. The result is a continuous stage with no tickets and no seating: the audience wanders from act to act, and the spectacle multiplies at every corner, among doorways, squares, and alleys of the town centre.

What to see along Via Roma

• Jugglers, acrobats, and tightrope walkers, with acts repeating in a continuous loop throughout the evening;
• Stilt walkers, fire-eaters, and living statues, among the most recognizable figures of the festival;
• Clowns, mimes, and storytellers, with shows designed even for the youngest children;
• Magicians and illusionists, performing in close contact with the public;
• Live street music and freestyle sports acts, from football to urban disciplines;
• Dedicated children's areas and tastings of typical Sannio products, curated in recent editions by local agricultural producers in partnership with Coldiretti.

The artists arrive from Italy, Spain, France, Brazil, and Argentina: it is this international dimension, combined with the concentration of over 150 free shows in just a few hours, that has made the festival a unique phenomenon for a town of just over two thousand inhabitants.

An event recognized by the F.N.A.S.

The festival is recognized by the National Federation of Street Artists (F.N.A.S.), which guarantees a circuit of high-level professionals: over the years, award-winning artists such as Julius Clown have performed in Calvi. Born as a local initiative, the event has grown steadily to become one of the most popular public square events in the province: local reports document the ninth edition in 2019, the fifteenth in 2024, and the sixteenth in 2025.

Alongside international guests, the Calvi Circus and Theatre School takes center stage, involving local youth: in 2025, thirty-eight young students performed the show « Siamo tutti artisti » (We are all artists) on the street, demonstrating a project that goes beyond a single evening and works on training throughout the year.

Calvi, the town and its territory

Calvi has just over 2,400 inhabitants and is located at an altitude of 376 meters in the agricultural region of the Benevento Hills in Campania, between San Giorgio del Sannio and Apice. The municipal territory is crossed by the ancient Appian Way in the Cubante area and includes the hamlets of Cubante, Li Mai, Piano Casiello, and Piano Rose. It is an area of vineyards and olive groves, about fifteen kilometers from the provincial capital, Benevento: the street artists' evening thus becomes an opportunity to traverse a piece of the inland Sannio that is rarely found on classic tourist itineraries.

2026 Edition: what we know

As of the update of this page, the Municipality of Calvi has not yet published the official date for the 2026 edition or the artist program. The event traditionally falls in the first half of September, on a weekday or weekend evening, but until the official announcement is made, the date indicated on this page remains indicative. It is therefore advisable to check the Municipality's channels and the event's Facebook page before traveling.

Tips for your visit

• Arrive early: Via Roma fills up quickly, and the best spots in front of the most spectacular acts run out fast;
• Wear comfortable shoes: the festival is experienced by walking, along a route of over 800 meters to be covered again and again;
• Bring cash for tastings and for the artists' « hat », as they also rely on voluntary contributions from the public;
• With children, aim for the early hours of the evening, when clown shows and play areas are at their most active.