Contursi Festival
The competition for new voices in Italian pop music, held in Piazza Garibaldi
About Contursi Festival
The competition for new voices in the heart of the Sele Valley
The Contursi Festival is a musical event that has defined the summer in Contursi Terme for decades—a spa town in the province of Salerno overlooking the Sele Valley in Campania. Originally established as a competition for new voices, the festival has maintained a clear and unwavering goal: to help young talent break into the Italian pop music scene by providing them with a real stage and, most importantly, the attention of industry professionals. This is not just another night of entertainment; it is a formal competition with an open call, a selection process, a jury, and awards.
Piazza Garibaldi, the town's stage
The final takes place in Piazza Garibaldi, the main square of Contursi Terme, which transforms into an open-air theater for one night. The format follows the classic tradition of Southern Italian town festivals but with higher-than-average ambitions: a fully equipped stage, live bands or backing tracks, professional hosts, and an audience that fills the square right up to the steps. Performers sing before their peers, local families, and the tourists who flock to the thermal area in August.
The 31st edition: Tuesday, August 4, 2026
The 2026 summer calendar in Contursi sets the New Voices Festival – 31st edition for Tuesday, August 4, in Piazza Garibaldi, organized by the Pro Loco Contursi Terme. The day before, Monday, August 3, the competing artists are expected at the New Voices Masterclass at the Faber venue on Via Taglianetti: a day of work with professionals before facing the stage, which has now become an integral part of the organizers' program.
How to reach the final
Participation is based on a public call: the rules and application forms are made available by the Pro Loco on their website, and entries are evaluated through a selection phase. For the 2026 edition, the results were announced on July 20, 2026, with the publication of the list of artists admitted to the final night. In addition to the selected group, the organizers include artists from partner festivals such as the Bellizzi Music Festival and the Bacco Festival—a small Campanian circuit that gives young singers more than one opportunity to be heard.
A professional jury
The historical strength of the Contursi Festival lies in the composition of its jury, which in past editions has brought together musicians, songwriters, producers, entertainment lawyers, and journalists, under the artistic direction of music industry professionals. Alongside the general rankings, the event has awarded prizes over the years such as the City Trophy, the Critics' Award, and scholarships, while also serving as a stepping stone to larger national competitions. For many young people, this is the first time their performance is judged by those who make music for a living.
The festival within the Contursi summer
The Contursi Festival is not an isolated event: it is part of a summer program that the Municipality of Contursi Terme builds every year with a density surprising for a town of only a few thousand inhabitants. In 2026, in the days immediately following the final, Piazza Garibaldi hosts a concert by the middle school orchestra and a live performance by the Anima 4tet (August 5), followed by a series of appointments with well-known names in Italian music: Carl Brave on August 6, Nomadi on August 7, Enzo Avitabile on August 8, The Kolors on August 9, and Francesca Michielin on August 11. Those arriving for the festival will find a full week of music.
Contursi Terme, thermal waters and the Sele Valley
Contursi Terme owes its fame to the sulfur springs in the lower area along the Sele River, which have made it one of the most popular spa destinations in inland Campania. The historic center, perched on a hill, preserves its medieval layout with narrow alleys, churches, and views of the valley. Its location is strategic: it is a short distance from the Sele Plain, the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park, and the archaeological area of Paestum. Visiting in August for the Contursi Festival means combining an evening of authentic popular music with a vacation among spas, nature, and archaeology.
Contursi Festival — edition 2026
Contursi Festival 2026: the 31st edition
The 2026 summer program of the Municipality of Contursi Terme places the New Voices Festival – 31st edition on Tuesday, August 4, in Piazza Garibaldi, organized by the Pro Loco Contursi Terme. It is the event that effectively opens the peak week of the Contursi summer, before the long sequence of concerts that occupies the square until the middle of the month.
The format remains the one that has made the event recognizable in the province of Salerno: young performers selected through a call, a jury of music professionals, and a square that acts as a sounding board. The most visible organizational novelty is the New Voices Masterclass on Monday, August 3, hosted at the Faber on Via Taglianetti, designed as a training moment for those who will take the stage the following day.
The results of the selections were made public on July 20, 2026, by the Pro Loco, which published the list of admitted artists. The group is joined by some singers from partner festivals in the Campanian circuit, according to an established exchange mechanism.
Programme Contursi Festival 2026
Monday, August 3, 2026 — Faber, Via Taglianetti
- New Voices Masterclass, organized by Pro Loco Contursi Terme: a day of work with professionals reserved for the competing artists.
Tuesday, August 4, 2026 — Piazza Garibaldi
- New Voices Festival – 31st edition: final night of the singing competition, featuring performances by the selected young interpreters and the jury's verdict.
Artists announced after the 2026 selections
The Pro Loco Contursi Terme has released the list of artists selected for the 2026 edition: Giò Calabria, Alek De Caro, Letizia De Santis, Laura Erra, Carlo Ferrini, Chiara Gallo (Rihara), Mary Geron, Marco Melella, Luisa Picerno, Andrea Pirro, and Sofia De Prisco. The roster is joined by artists selected through the Bellizzi Music Festival and a selection from the Bacco Festival.
Around the festival: the Piazza Garibaldi week
The 2026 Contursi summer events following the final, all in Piazza Garibaldi, are not part of the competition but form its backdrop: Wednesday, August 5, concert by the middle school orchestra and live performance by the Anima 4tet; Thursday, August 6, Carl Brave; Friday, August 7, Nomadi; Saturday, August 8, Enzo Avitabile; Sunday, August 9, The Kolors; Tuesday, August 11, Francesca Michielin.
The exact start time of the final night and the names of the hosts and jurors have not yet been published: it is advisable to check the Pro Loco channels in the days immediately preceding.
Highlights Contursi Festival 2026
- 31st edition of the competition for new voices in Italian pop music.
- Tuesday, August 4, 2026, Piazza Garibaldi, in the center of Contursi Terme.
- New Voices Masterclass on August 3 at the Faber, reserved for competing artists.
- Selection results announced on July 20, 2026: eleven artists announced, plus those selected from partner festivals.
- Evening in the square, no tickets, part of the Municipality of Contursi Terme's summer program.
- In the following days, on the same stage, concerts by Carl Brave, Nomadi, Enzo Avitabile, The Kolors, and Francesca Michielin.
Prices Contursi Festival 2026
Practical information — Contursi Festival
How to get there
By car: take the Contursi exit on the A2 Autostrada del Mediterraneo, just a few kilometers from the town center; from Salerno, take the Fondovalle Sele road. By train: the Contursi Terme station is on the Battipaglia–Potenza line, located in the lower area and connected to the historic center by a provincial road. By plane: Salerno-Costa d'Amalfi airport is about 50 km away; alternatively, Naples-Capodichino.
Where it takes place
Piazza Garibaldi, in the center of Contursi Terme (ZIP code 84024, province of Salerno). The masterclass preceding the final is held at the Faber, on Via Taglianetti.
Tickets
There is no ticket office: the evening takes place in the square, a public space with free access. It is advisable to check the Pro Loco's updates in the days leading up to the event.
Contacts
Pro Loco Contursi Terme, Via Teatro 1 — phone +39 0828 791455 or +39 348 8920142. Rules and application forms can be downloaded from the Pro Loco website.
Practical tips
The square gets crowded: those who want a good spot should arrive well before the start time, which is traditionally in the evening. For accommodation, the thermal area offers hotels and facilities linked to the spas, but availability runs out quickly in August: it is best to book weeks in advance.
Festival-goer photos
No photos yet. Share yours!
Share your photos
5 photos max, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)
Noticed an error or missing information?
Help us keep this listing up to date. Every proposal is verified by our team before publication.
Festival-goer reviews
No rating yet — be the first!
No comments yet. Be the first!
Were you there?
Share your experience with the community.
Where does it take place — Contursi Festival
Piazza Garibaldi
Piazza Garibaldi, 84024 Contursi Terme