Estate Eretina
The summer cultural festival of Monterotondo, for those who stay and those who return
About Estate Eretina
A forty-year-long summer
Estate Eretina is the summer cultural festival of Monterotondo, a town in the Roman Sabina region on the outskirts of the capital, within the Metropolitan City of Rome, in Lazio. Established in the early 1980s, it has become the fixed appointment through which the Eretina community—the adjective derives from the ancient Eretum, the Sabine centre that once stood on these lands—spends the months of July and August. In 2026, the event reaches its 43rd edition, scheduled from July 4th to August 10th.
A widespread festival, not just one stage
The formula that has defined Estate Eretina over the years is that of a widespread festival: not just a single central stage, but a network of spaces involving both the historic centre and the outlying districts. Events take place in the courtyard of Palazzo Orsini and the archaeological museum housed within, in the Giardino del Cigno, in Piazza del Popolo, at Parco Arcobaleno, in the Montegrappa district park, in the Via Cilento garden, in the small square on Via Tamigi, at the Green Village, and along Viale Buozzi, the town promenade named after Valerio Nobili.
This choice is not merely logistical: bringing concerts, cinema, and workshops to your doorstep, even in areas furthest from the centre, is how the Municipality tries to keep a city together that only partially empties out in the summer. Hence the slogan accompanying the festival: "for those who stay and those who return".
What's on the programme
The lineup is intentionally diverse, mixing national-level artistic proposals with the promotion of local associations. Each edition brings together:
- concerts and DJ sets in the open air, with a focus on singer-songwriters, jazz, and local bands;
- theatre and performances for all ages in courtyards and parks;
- open-air cinema, with free screenings in neighbourhood gardens;
- exhibitions and literary readings, often hosted in museum spaces;
- workshops and activities for children and families;
- guided tours of the archaeological museum and the city's historical heritage, in some cases with sign language interpretation;
- comics and cosplay with MonteGeek, the day dedicated to pop culture and comics.
Organisers
Estate Eretina is promoted by the Department of Culture of the Municipality of Monterotondo together with the Fondazione Istituzione Culturale Monterotondo (ICM), which oversees artistic direction and calendar coordination. Dozens of local associations, theatre companies, music schools, and third-sector organisations participate in building the programme each year, selected also through the Municipality's single call for culture.
Monterotondo, between Sabina and Rome
Monterotondo is one of the most populous centres in the province of Rome, nestled on a hill overlooking the Tiber valley about thirty kilometres from the capital. Its historic centre preserves the medieval layout clustered around Palazzo Orsini-Barberini, now home to the town hall and the museum, while the surrounding countryside belongs to the Sabina region, a land of olive groves and PDO extra virgin olive oil. Its proximity to Rome and direct rail connection make Estate Eretina easily accessible even for those arriving from the capital in search of an evening outdoors away from the city chaos.
A finale that extends the summer
The festival does not end with the last date in August: for several editions, the programme has been extended with Abbronzatissima, a few evenings of music and socialising that bid farewell to the end of summer and bring the city back to the squares before the autumn restart.
Estate Eretina — edition 2026
Estate Eretina 2026: the 43rd edition
From July 4th to August 10th, 2026, Monterotondo hosts the forty-third edition of Estate Eretina, with about forty events featuring music, theatre, exhibitions, literary readings, comics and cosplay, workshops and activities for children and families, guided tours, and open-air cinema.
This year, the formula is once again that of a widespread festival: events are distributed between the courtyard of Palazzo Orsini and the Archaeological Museum, the Giardino del Cigno, Piazza del Popolo, Parco Arcobaleno, the Montegrappa district park, the Via Cilento garden, the small square on Via Tamigi, the Green Village, and the Viale Buozzi promenade. The involvement of the outer districts is a choice championed by the municipal administration, which wanted to bring cultural programming outside the historic centre as well.
Events to note
- July 9th — white night in support of the Locanda delle Nocciole, the facility that welcomes young oncology patients and their families;
- July 10th and 11th — evenings dedicated to jazz and bluegrass;
- July 25th and 26th — MonteGeek, the comics and cosplay festival hosted on the Promenade, with its costume parade and stands dedicated to pop culture;
- open-air cinema in the gardens of Via Tamigi and Via Cilento, with free evening screenings;
- guided tours of the Archaeological Museum of Palazzo Orsini, some with sign language interpretation.
The finale: Abbronzatissima
After the August closing, the festival continues with Abbronzatissima, three evenings of music and socialising that bid farewell to the end of the Eretina summer.
Admission and information
Most events are free. The detailed programme, divided into two parts (from July 4th to 16th and for the subsequent period), is published on the Municipality of Monterotondo website along with the press release, as well as on the ICM Foundation channels and the Vivi Monterotondo portal.
Programme Estate Eretina 2026
July 2026
- July 4th — opening of the 43rd edition with the first events in the centre
- July 9th — charity white night for the Locanda delle Nocciole
- July 10th-11th — jazz and bluegrass concerts
- July 25th-26th — MonteGeek, comics & cosplay on the Viale Buozzi Promenade
- throughout the month — open-air cinema in the gardens of Via Tamigi and Via Cilento, workshops for children and families, guided tours of the Archaeological Museum of Palazzo Orsini
August 2026
- continuation of the programme until August 10th between Piazza del Popolo, Parco Arcobaleno, Giardino del Cigno, and district parks
Final coda
- Abbronzatissima — three evenings of music and socialising to close the summer
The complete programme, organised into two flyers (July 4-16 and the subsequent period), can be downloaded from the Municipality of Monterotondo website.
Highlights Estate Eretina 2026
- 43rd edition of a festival born in the early 1980s
- About forty events in just over a month
- Widespread formula: historic centre and outlying districts together
- MonteGeek, the comics and cosplay weekend on July 25th-26th
- Free open-air cinema in neighbourhood gardens
- Guided tours of the Archaeological Museum of Palazzo Orsini, some accessible in sign language
- Solidarity white night for the Locanda delle Nocciole
Prices Estate Eretina 2026
Practical information — Estate Eretina
How to get there
By train: the Monterotondo-Mentana station is served by the FL1 regional railway line of Lazio (Rome Tiburtina - Fara Sabina - Orte); from the station, the centre can be reached by local buses. By car: take the Monterotondo exit on the A1 Milan-Naples motorway, or via Salaria (SS4) from Rome, approximately 30 km. By plane: Rome Fiumicino and Rome Ciampino airports, connected to Rome Tiburtina.
Tickets
The majority of Estate Eretina events are free of charge. For some concerts or performances in indoor spaces, a ticket or mandatory reservation may be required: details are indicated event by event in the official programme.
Information
Fondazione ICM Monterotondo, tel. +39 06 9061490, [email protected]. URP of the Municipality of Monterotondo, Piazza Angelo Frammartino 4, tel. +39 06 909641. The updated calendar is published on the channels of the Municipality, the ICM Foundation, and the Vivi Monterotondo portal.
Tips
Almost all shows take place outdoors and in the evening: it is advisable to arrive a little early for the most anticipated evenings, as seating in the parks is limited. Those arriving from Rome can combine the evening with an afternoon visit to the Archaeological Museum of Palazzo Orsini and a walk through the historic centre.
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Where does it take place — Estate Eretina
Vari luoghi della città (Palazzo Orsini, Piazza del Popolo, Parco Arcobaleno, Giardino del Cigno)
Piazza Angelo Frammartino 4, 00015 Monterotondo