Catania Summer Fest
Catania's grand cultural summer featuring music, theatre, cinema, and art
About Catania Summer Fest
A widespread summer festival in the heart of Sicily
The Catania Summer Fest is the premier cultural hub of the Catanese summer, promoted and coordinated by the Municipality of Catania in the capital of Eastern Sicily. Every year, from June until late autumn, the festival brings together over 200 events under a single banner, featuring music, theatre, dance, cinema, literature, and visual arts, spread across the Baroque historic centre and the peripheral districts of the city at the foot of Mount Etna.
The venues of the festival
The festival thrives in the city's iconic spaces. The beating heart of the major concerts is the historic Villa Bellini, the monumental garden that hosts live performances by Italian music stars. The Palazzo della Cultura, with its Corte Mariella Lo Giudice, hosts plays, dance performances, and chamber music, while the city's squares – Piazza Federico II di Svevia, Piazza Palestro, Piazza Dante, and the space in front of the Church of San Nicolò l'Arena – become open-air arenas for cinema, concerts, and gatherings. The Gallery of Modern Art and numerous monuments, churches, and schools throughout the districts complete a map of entertainment that embraces the entire city.
Music, stage, and tradition
The musical programming ranges from classical music with national and international artists to jazz, pop, and singer-songwriter performances. The core of the live season is the Sotto il Vulcano Fest, hosted at Villa Bellini, alongside events like Swing Eruption and numerous initiatives dedicated to theatre, open-air cinema, and dance. The Palcoscenico Catania section, supported by the Ministry of Culture, brings workshops, performances, and participatory events to dozens of different locations, involving local associations and cultural entities.
A summer for the whole city
What makes the Catania Summer Fest special is its widespread and inclusive nature: it is not just a single event, but a network of appointments that animate every corner of the province of Catania and showcase the cultural identity of Sicily. With major concerts, plays, musical tributes, film festivals, and activities for families and children, the festival has become one of the most anticipated events of the Sicilian summer, uniting tourists and citizens in a long program of beauty and shared experiences.
Catania Summer Fest — edition 2026
Catania Summer Fest 2026
The 2026 edition of the Catania Summer Fest confirms the formula of a grand, widespread cultural summer in the Sicilian capital. The calendar runs from June until autumn, encompassing concerts, plays, dance, open-air cinema, and book presentations between the city centre and its districts.
Concerts at Villa Bellini
The musical heart is the Sotto il Vulcano Fest, organized by Puntoeacapo under the artistic direction of Sebastiano La Ferlita, hosted in the monumental garden of Villa Bellini. The live lineup features stars such as Tommaso Paradiso, Emma, Blanco, Giorgia, Subsonica, Caparezza, Negramaro, Fiorella Mannoia, Massimo Ranieri, and many others, performing between July and September.
Widespread entertainment
Alongside the major live shows, the season includes the Swing Eruption event (12-14 June 2026), theatre performances, film festivals in the squares, and numerous cultural initiatives in key city locations, from the Palazzo della Cultura to Piazza Federico II di Svevia.
Programme Catania Summer Fest 2026
Sotto il Vulcano Fest 2026 - Villa Bellini
- 3 July - Kid Yugi
- 16 July - La Niña
- 18 July - Tommaso Paradiso
- 25 July - Emma
- 26 July - Blanco
- 28 July - Giorgia
- 31 July - Luché
- 2 August - Subsonica
- 7 August - Caparezza
- 11 August - Earth, Wind & Fire Experience
- 12 August - Fulminacci
- 21 August - Gemitaiz
- 22 August - Negramaro
- 23 August - Fiorella Mannoia
- 30 August - Massimo Ranieri
- 11 September - Rosario Miraggio
- 12 September - C.S.I.
The full program of the widespread festival is being updated on the Municipality of Catania's channels.
Highlights Catania Summer Fest 2026
- Over 200 events between June and October
- Major concerts at Villa Bellini with Sotto il Vulcano Fest
- Swing Eruption from 12 to 14 June 2026
- Theatre, open-air cinema, and art in the city's squares
Prices Catania Summer Fest 2026
Practical information — Catania Summer Fest
How to get there
Catania is served by the Catania-Fontanarossa international airport, located just a few kilometres from the city centre. The central railway station connects the city with the rest of Sicily. Villa Bellini can be reached on foot from the centre or via the FCE underground (Stesicoro or Giovanni XXIII stops).
Tickets
Many events in the program are free; the major concerts of Sotto il Vulcano Fest at Villa Bellini are ticketed, with tickets available via TicketOne and Puntoeacapo Concerti. Early booking is recommended for the most popular live shows.
Parking
In the city centre, AMTS parking facilities, the Parcheggio Europa, and private areas near Corso Sicilia and Piazza Giovanni Verga are available.
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Where does it take place — Catania Summer Fest
Villa Bellini, Palazzo della Cultura e piazze del centro