Folk Music Festival

A festival where folk music is played together

The Folk Music Festival is a winter event that brings San Marzano di San Giuseppe to life in the province of Taranto, one of Puglia's most unique villages. Here, in the dining hall of the Le Mie Regine restaurant-pizzeria on Via Raffaele Lonoce, you don't just watch a concert: you participate. Anyone who loves folk culture can bring their own instrument, their voice, or simply the desire to dance, and join an evening where music emerges spontaneously, just like in the village festivals of the past.

The origins: the legacy of Maruggio

The event was born in 2018—with a "zero" edition in October—from the idea of Antonio Baio and Francesco Pastorelli, together with a group of enthusiasts. The goal was to create a space for meeting, cultural exchange, and fun for those who love the traditional music and dance of Southern Italy, carrying on the legacy of the decade-long Maruggio Folk Music Festival. Year after year, the festival has grown, attracting players not only from Puglia but also from Calabria, Campania, and Basilicata.

Pizzica, stornelli, and quadriglie

The repertoire is that of the Southern tradition: pizzica pizzica, stornellate, quadriglie, and whatever the participants wish to propose and share. Tambourines, accordions, guitars, and voices alternate without a rigid stage, in a festive atmosphere where the boundary between performer and listener dissolves. It is an opportunity to dance, but also to pass on songs and rhythms that might otherwise be lost.

San Marzano, an Arbëreshë village

Celebrating here has a special flavor. San Marzano di San Giuseppe is the largest Arbëreshë (Italo-Albanian) community in Italy, founded in the 15th century by Albanian refugees fleeing the Ottoman invasion of the Balkans. The town still preserves the Arbëreshë language, its rites—such as the great St. Joseph's bonfire (Zjarri i Madhë) on March 18th—and a very strong cultural identity. The Folk Music Festival naturally integrates into this fabric of living traditions.

Free entry and a convivial spirit

Admission is free and participation is open to everyone. It is possible to enjoy food and drinks from the venue in the hall, with seat reservations subject to availability; however, you can also attend just to dance and listen. It is an evening designed to be together, without barriers, in the spirit of Puglian folk music.