Energy Festival
The major Italian forum on energy, geopolitics, and transition, in the heart of Lecce
About Energy Festival
An energy festival for everyone
The Energy Festival is the most important Italian event dedicated to the dissemination and debate of energy-related topics. Conceived and directed by Alessandro Beulcke, it was created to offer a broad, serious, and unbiased space for discussion on a subject too often addressed in overly technical, sectoral, or polarized ways. Its natural home is Lecce, the capital of the Salento region, which hosts the event in its most iconic locations, making it, for a few days, the European capital of energy debate.
Where it takes place
The festival inhabits the Baroque historic center of Lecce: meetings are held between the Teatro Apollo, the Teatro Paisiello, the MUST - Historical Museum of the City, the Castello Carlo V, and Palazzo Carafa, the seat of the Municipality. The venues change slightly from year to year, but the formula remains the same: widespread, free, and open events that blend high-level institutional discourse with the city's cultural life.
What's on the program
The program is never just a series of conferences. Alongside institutional and industrial panels, the Energy Festival offers shows, readings, photography exhibitions, book presentations, workshops for schools and young people, job days, and educational activities on renewable energy. It is an event designed for both industry professionals and curious citizens, using accessible language to help understand complex issues such as energy security, industrial transition, nuclear power, renewables, and the role of the Mediterranean.
- Conferences and talks with ministers, managers, and international analysts
- Shows and reading concerts in the city's historic theaters
- Exhibitions, book presentations, and educational moments
- Workshops, job days, and paths dedicated to students and young people
Why it's worth attending
The Energy Festival succeeds in bringing some of the leading figures in European politics, industry, and culture to Lecce, while keeping its doors open to anyone wanting to better understand the challenges of the coming years. In a region like Puglia, which is already a strategic energy crossroads in the Mediterranean, it is the ideal opportunity to combine a trip to Salento with the discovery of one of the most pressing debates of our time.
Energy Festival — edition 2026
The 14th edition of the Energy Festival was held in Lecce from May 28 to 30, 2026, with the theme "Energy and Freedom. Europe put to the test of the future." In a phase of profound transformation of international energy and geopolitical balances, the edition focused on the link between security, industrial independence, and ecological transition, with a special look at the role of Europe and the Mediterranean.
Promoted by UTOPIA and the ONTM - National Observatory for the Protection of the Sea, and directed by founder Alessandro Beulcke, the event enlivened the Teatro Apollo, Teatro Paisiello, MUST, Castello Carlo V, and Palazzo Carafa, confirming itself as the main Italian forum on the topic. At the closing, the director reported a positive outcome and a bar raised once again compared to previous editions.
Programme Energy Festival 2026
Themes of the 2026 edition
The program of the 14th edition intertwined institutional and industrial panels with cultural events spread across the historic center. Among the major topics addressed:
- Energy security and Europe's independence
- Industrial transition and competitiveness
- Nuclear power and renewable energy
- The Mediterranean as an energy and infrastructure hub
- Artificial intelligence, digitalization, and energy consumption
- Circular economy
Guests and speakers
Among the announced protagonists: Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, Deputy Minister Francesco Paolo Sisto, President of the Puglia Region Antonio Decaro, Mayor of Lecce Adriana Poli Bortone, former President of the European Commission José Barroso, Vice President of the European Parliament Pina Picierno, and Giorgio Gori, as well as writers and analysts such as Chicco Testa, Ferruccio de Bortoli, and Cecilia Sala. The debate included top executives from major companies in the sector such as Eni, Enel, Leonardo, Snam, E.ON Italia, Shell Italia, Accenture, and TAP.
Culture and youth
- Reading concert with Alessio Boni
- Photography exhibition "Portraits of Energy"
- Book presentations
- Training workshops and job days dedicated to young people
Highlights Energy Festival 2026
Prices Energy Festival 2026
Practical information — Energy Festival
Where
Events take place in various venues within the historic center of Lecce (Puglia): Teatro Apollo, Teatro Paisiello, MUST, Castello Carlo V, and Palazzo Carafa. Each meeting's venue is indicated in the official program.
Admission
Participation is free and open to all events, subject to availability. Registration may be required for some workshops and activities dedicated to schools and young people.
How to get there
Lecce is well-connected by train (the station is just a few minutes from the center) and by car. All festival venues are within walking distance in the pedestrian historic center.
Information
Full program and updates on the official website festivaldellenergia.it.
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Where does it take place — Energy Festival
Teatro Apollo, Teatro Paisiello, Castello Carlo V e altri luoghi del centro storico