Eolie Music Fest – Santa Marina Salina Stage

The festival that sails the Aeolian Islands

The Eolie Music Fest is a one-of-a-kind musical event: instead of being confined to a single venue, it spreads concerts and DJ sets across the Tyrrhenian coast and the Aeolian archipelago in the province of Messina, turning the sea into a natural stage. Born in 2020 as a creative response to pandemic restrictions—when shows could only be attended from boats—the festival turned that necessity into a recognizable format, now part of the The Floating Fest project, which brings together music, landscape, and sustainable tourism. The artistic direction is led by Samuel (Samuel Romano), lead singer and founder of Subsonica and creator of the festival.

Santa Marina Salina, the festival's port of call

The municipality of Santa Marina Salina, on the island of Salina, is the true hub of the 2026 edition: two of the three days take place in its waters. Salina, the second-largest island in the archipelago, famous for its lush nature, salt pans, and Malvasia vineyards, hosts the floating stage where artists perform for an audience stationed on boats. It is in this setting—amidst the open sea, islands on the horizon, and sunsets over the water—that the event reaches its most anticipated moment.

The evenings of July 18 and 19, 2026

On Saturday, July 18, starting at 5:00 PM, Mannarino, a voice of singer-songwriter music with folk and Mediterranean hues, and Gaia, one of the most representative performers of contemporary Italian pop, take the water-based stage. The party continues late into the night with a DJ set by Andro (boarding scheduled for late evening). On Sunday, July 19, also starting at 5:00 PM, the grand finale takes place: Brunori Sas, the duo Maria Antonietta & Colombre, and Samuel himself take turns on the floating stage of Santa Marina Salina for a closing that weaves together singer-songwriter music, indie, and electronic vibes.

Sea, sunsets, and big names

The format combines singer-songwriter music, pop, and electronic sounds in settings rarely found elsewhere: the floating stage, the audience's boats, and the Aeolian coasts as a natural backdrop. The 2026 edition opens on July 17 in Capo d'Orlando, on the Tyrrhenian coast of the Messina area, before moving between Salina and Lipari over the following two days. For those without a private boat, dedicated tourist boats are available, with boarding approximately half an hour before the live shows from points in Lipari, Marina Corta of Lipari, and Santa Marina Salina.

A summer appointment for the Aeolian Islands

More than just a concert, Eolie Music Fest is an experience that bridges the landscape heritage of the Aeolian Islands—a UNESCO World Heritage site—with the contemporary Italian music scene. For Santa Marina Salina and the entire province of Messina, it represents one of the most anticipated events of the summer, capable of attracting fans and tourists from all over Sicily and beyond, in the name of slow and sustainable musical tourism.