Cous Cous Unplugged

A festival born from the Roman suburbs

Cous Cous Unplugged is the summer, suburban version of Spaghetti Unplugged, the historic Roman open mic that has become a true scouting platform for emerging Italian music over the years. The festival takes place in the northwest quadrant of the capital, between Casal del Marmo, Ottavia, and Palmarola, in the 14th Municipality of Rome, in the Lazio region. The name itself declares its intention: while "Spaghetti" evokes the Italian Sunday of the parent format, "Cous Cous" highlights the meeting of cultures that defines these neighborhoods.

Where it takes place

The stage is set up in the courtyard of the Pablo Neruda Comprehensive Institute, at Via di Casal del Marmo 216. This is a deliberate, non-random choice: a school space, normally closed during the summer, is returned to the neighborhood and transformed for a few days into an open-air cultural square. Surrounding the stage are the market, local association stalls, and workshop areas.

What to see and hear

The daily structure is well-established and repeats from the afternoon until late at night:

• Open mic in the Spaghetti Unplugged style, open to all emerging artists: on-site registration in the late afternoon and stage competition in the early evening;
• Talks and meetings on youth, suburbs, and integration, moderated in recent years by journalist Sabika Shah Povia;
• Concerts featuring names from the Roman and national rap, trap, and urban scene;
• DJ sets that continue until late, with an open-air dancefloor;
• Music workshops, tournaments, and dance performances with public battles;
• Market and activities by the associations of the 14th Municipality.

The winner of the open mic does not just receive a symbolic prize: Spaghetti Unplugged supports them in the production, distribution, and promotion of a single. This is one of the aspects that makes the event more interesting than a simple neighborhood summer festival.

A cultural project supported by the city

The event is part of the Estate Romana (Roman Summer) calendar and in 2025 was among the winning projects of the Roma Creativa 365. Cultura tutto l'anno call, promoted by the Department of Culture of Rome Capital in collaboration with Zètema Progetto Cultura. The festival also benefits from the support of Periferiacapitale, a program by the Charlemagne Foundation dedicated specifically to the city's suburban neighborhoods. This combination of public and philanthropic support allows for completely free entry for all evenings.

The atmosphere

Those arriving for the first time will find a very young and diverse audience, reflecting the true composition of the neighborhood. It is not a festival of huge numbers or international headliners: it is a town square, with chairs, kids waiting for their turn at the open mic with lyrics on their phones, families browsing the market, and music that builds in intensity as evening falls. To understand how the Roman rap scene is built from the ground up, outside the city center clubs, it is one of the most honest observatories in the capital.

When to go

The event traditionally takes place between the end of August and the first days of September, when Rome repopulates after the holidays and the open-air evenings are still pleasant. The four days are designed to be followed in their entirety: the concert and DJ set lineup changes every night, while the open mic remains the common thread.