Cerveteri Blues Festival

The debut of blues in Cerveteri

Summer 2026 marks the birth of the Cerveteri Blues Festival, a new event dedicated to African American music, bringing two major international stars to the Parco della Legnara. The inaugural edition takes place on July 14 and 15, 2026, with free admission as part of the summer calendar of the Municipality of Cerveteri. This debut confirms the town's commitment to hosting high-quality music in evocative settings.

Parco della Legnara and the Etruscan Necropolis

The stage is set at Parco della Legnara, a green space located just meters from the famous Banditaccia Necropolis, a UNESCO World Heritage site and symbol of the ancient Etruscan city of Caere. Listening to the blues under the stars, with the city's millennia-old history as a backdrop, is a rare experience that blends music and heritage. The spacious and welcoming venue was already packed with audiences during the opening nights.

Judith Hill and Kevin "Sonny" Gullage

The programming for this first edition is exceptionally high-caliber for a brand-new festival. The first evening, Tuesday, July 14, features Judith Hill, the Los Angeles singer discovered by Michael Jackson for his This Is It tour and later championed by Prince. A 2015 Grammy Award winner, she has earned international critical acclaim with her album Golden Child. The second evening, Wednesday, July 15, showcases the talent of Kevin "Sonny" Gullage, a young pianist and singer from New Orleans who grew up in the Treme neighborhood under the tutelage of Dr. John and Henry Butler, performing with his band The Blues Groovers. His style weaves Delta blues with soul and contemporary sounds.

Estate Caerite 2026

The Cerveteri Blues Festival is part of Estate Caerite 2026, the summer series through which the Municipality of Cerveteri enlivens the season with free evenings of music, theater, and comedy across Piazza Santa Maria, Parco della Legnara, and the Campo di Mare coastline. It is a widespread program designed for residents and tourists alike, with the blues festival serving as one of its flagship events.

A festival to watch

With such a strong debut, the Cerveteri Blues Festival is poised to become a staple of the Lazio summer. For the public, it is a rare opportunity to catch artists who rarely tour in Italy, all within one of the most fascinating locations on the coast north of Rome, nestled between the sea, the countryside, and Etruscan archaeology.