E...state a Valenzano

A widespread summer in the heart of Puglia

Every year, with the arrival of the warm season, the Municipality of Valenzano — a town in the Metropolitan City of Bari, just a few kilometres from the regional capital — launches its summer programme, known to locals as E...state a Valenzano. It is an extensive calendar of cultural, sporting, and entertainment events that accompanies the town throughout the summer, transforming squares, courtyards, and green spaces into open-air stages.

A multidisciplinary programme

The hallmark of the festival is its variety: over the weeks, the schedule alternates between concerts and musical evenings, theatre and dance performances, poetry readings, song festivals, children's games, sports tournaments, and exhibitions. It is a programme designed for all ages, weaving together cultural offerings and social opportunities, with a special focus on families and inclusivity.

One of the symbolic venues for these summer initiatives is Villa Marconi, along with the adjacent Piazza Baden Powell, a municipal space that hosts shows, entertainment, and community parties; the programme then branches out across other squares and gardens in the centre of Valenzano.

A community project

E...state a Valenzano stems from the municipal administration's desire to offer citizens a rich and engaging summer, involving local associations, social cooperatives, the Pro Loco, and other local entities. Many events are free to attend and are designed as opportunities for intergenerational connection.

The summer period also traditionally includes the Patronal Feast of San Rocco (in mid-August), a devotional and popular event that, while distinct from the municipal festival, contributes to making the Valenzano summer particularly vibrant.

Valenzano is located in Puglia, in the hinterland of Bari: an ideal setting for enjoying summer evenings outdoors, amidst the scent of the countryside and the proximity to the Adriatic Sea and the city of Bari.