Cinigiano Blues Festival – Winter Edition

Blues that warms up the Maremma winter

The Winter Edition is the cold-weather season of the Cinigiano Blues Festival, the event that has chosen as its motto "the blues festival that lasts all year round." While the summer edition lights up the Castello di Porrona under the July stars, the winter edition brings the music indoors to the intimate stage of the Teatro Comunale di Cinigiano, a small town in the Province of Grosseto nestled in the hills of the Tuscan Maremma, between Mount Amiata and the Ombrone Valley.

A series spread across the cold months

The formula for the Winter Edition is simple and has remained consistent over the years: a series of concerts held from December to March, typically on the third Saturday of the month (with an opening night in early December). Each event is designed as a close encounter between the audience and the artists, away from large venues and closer to the most authentic soul of blues, soul, and gospel music. Admission is at a symbolic price and free for young people, a choice that makes the festival accessible to families and fans of all ages.

Three phases, one single project

The Winter Edition is the first of three moments that mark the year for the Cinigiano festival. After the winter theater season comes the spring Blues Contest, reserved for emerging bands: selected groups have the opportunity to perform during the summer season and access professional recording sessions. The third chapter is the Summer Edition, which in July moves the music to the medieval setting of the Castello di Porrona, a hamlet of Cinigiano, featuring three free evenings headlined by internationally renowned artists.

A cultural landmark for the Maremma

In a territory made up of villages and small communities, a festival like this represents much more than just a series of concerts: it is a cultural landmark that brings names from the Italian and European blues scene to Cinigiano, showcases the municipal theater, and keeps a musical tradition that the town is particularly proud of alive, even in the winter months. Promoted by the Municipality of Cinigiano together with the Frequenze association, the Winter Edition is now a highly anticipated event for those in Tuscany who follow the blues with passion.

How to enjoy the evening

Concerts are usually held at 9:00 PM, with some opening evening events featuring gospel choirs or young singer-songwriters. Booking is recommended due to the intimate size of the theater: visitors from out of town can combine the musical evening with a stroll through the village and an enogastronomic stop to enjoy the flavors of the Maremma.