Folklore Festival in Sorrento - Tarantella del Vesuvio
Folk groups from around the world on the Sorrento Peninsula
About Sorrento Folklore Festival
An international folklore gathering in Sorrento
The Folklore Festival in Sorrento, also known as the Tarantella del Vesuvio, is an international event that brings folk dance groups, choirs, majorettes, and marching bands from various European and non-European countries to the town of Sorrento, in the province of Naples, every year at the end of June. This is not a festival built around a single big name, but rather a cultural exchange event: each group performs its own traditional repertoire and shares it with others before the audience of the Sorrento Peninsula.
The tarantella and the call of Vesuvius
The reference to the tarantella is no coincidence. This Campanian folk dance, with its driving rhythm, castanets, and tambourine, is one of the most recognizable symbols of Campania's musical identity and has always been associated with the Gulf of Naples and the silhouette of Mount Vesuvius that frames it to the east. The festival adopts this connection as its calling card and interpretive key: comparing traditional dances from around the world with local ones to show how the language of the body and folk music can transcend borders.
How the event unfolds
The well-established format spans five or six days. The first day is dedicated to the arrival of the groups and check-in at local hotels; the middle days alternate between local excursions and an evening of performances in Sorrento, the true public heart of the festival; the final morning is reserved for departures. It is not a competition in the strict sense: at the end, all groups receive a certificate of participation.
- One performance per group, with a program lasting approximately eight minutes.
- Live music or recorded backing tracks on a USB drive: both options are permitted.
- Closing ceremony with the presentation of diplomas to all participating groups.
- Optional excursions to Capri, the Amalfi Coast, Pompeii, Naples, and Mount Vesuvius.
Who can participate
Registration is reserved for organized groups: folk dance troupes, choirs, majorettes, marching bands, and instrumental ensembles. Soloists are not admitted, and there are no age limits for members, though a minimum of twenty-five people per group is required, including dancers, chaperones, family members, and drivers. Larger groups receive one or two free spots. Participation is via online application and includes accommodation and half-board in three or four-star hotels.
Sorrento as a backdrop
Sorrento is one of the most famous tourist destinations in Campania and all of Italy: overlooking the gulf of the same name, with its historic center clustered around Piazza Tasso, citrus gardens, sea-view terraces, and a tradition of hospitality dating back to the Grand Tour era. Choosing this city as the venue for the event means offering guest groups a setting dedicated to international hospitality while giving visitors at the end of June an evening that differs from the usual seaside program.
An event that returns every summer
The festival has several editions behind it: European folklore association portals document events in Sorrento as early as 2020, 2022, and 2023, followed by the recent 2025 and 2026 editions, both held in the last week of June. The numbering of the editions varies slightly from one portal to another because the festival is promoted by multiple international partner agencies, but the format remains the same year after year. For those visiting Campania at the end of June, it is an opportunity to encounter costumes and music from the Balkans, Eastern Europe, the Mediterranean, and beyond, amidst the squares and alleys of the Sorrento Peninsula.
Sorrento Folklore Festival — edition 2026
The 2026 edition in Sorrento
From June 25 to 30, 2026, Sorrento hosted a new edition of the Folklore Festival in Sorrento, the international event also known as the Tarantella del Vesuvio. As per tradition, the event brought together folk dance groups, choirs, majorettes, and marching bands, each with a program of about eight minutes, for an evening of performances in the middle of the week.
A schedule between stage and excursions
The program combined the artistic component with the discovery of the territory: the Amalfi Coast reached by boat with stops in Amalfi and Positano, a day in Capri, the excavations of Pompeii, Naples, and Mount Vesuvius. This is the formula that has characterized this festival for years, designed for groups traveling together who stay on the Sorrento Peninsula for the entire week.
Fully booked participation
The organization, handled by Blue Diamond Events with the support of several European partner agencies, recorded a sell-out for the 2026 edition, with a participation fee set at 265 euros per person, including five nights on a half-board basis. The event concluded with the presentation of diplomas to all participating groups.
Programme Sorrento Folklore Festival 2026
Thursday, June 25 - Arrival of groups and hotel check-in between 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM.
Friday, June 26 - Private boat excursion along the Amalfi Coast, with stops in Amalfi and Positano.
Saturday, June 27 - Morning suggested for the Pompeii excavations; in the evening, in Sorrento, the official festival performance with all scheduled groups.
Sunday, June 28 - Full day in Capri, including island tour, swimming, and free time.
Monday, June 29 - Suggested visits to Naples and Mount Vesuvius.
Tuesday, June 30 - Breakfast and departure of the groups.
Each group takes the stage once, with a program of about eight minutes, live or on a recorded track. The festival day schedule is binding, and attendance at the awards ceremony is mandatory for all registered groups.
Highlights Sorrento Folklore Festival 2026
- Performance evening in Sorrento on Saturday, June 27, with all guest folk groups in traditional costume.
- Folk dances, choirs, majorettes, and marching bands from multiple countries.
- Private boat excursion along the Amalfi Coast, with stops in Amalfi and Positano.
- Day in Capri and visits to the Pompeii excavations, Naples, and Mount Vesuvius.
- Closing ceremony with the presentation of diplomas to all groups.
Prices Sorrento Folklore Festival 2026
Practical information — Sorrento Folklore Festival
How to get there
By train: the Circumvesuviana railway connects Naples to Sorrento with frequent service; the Sorrento station is just a short walk from the center. By sea: hydrofoils and ferries from Naples Beverello, Capri, and Ischia. By car: A3 Naples-Salerno motorway to the Castellammare di Stabia exit, then the SS145 state road along the Sorrento Peninsula (parking is difficult and paid during high season). Nearest airport: Naples Capodichino, connected by direct buses.
Where to stay
Registered groups are accommodated in three and four-star hotels in the area, including Hotel Paradiso, Hotel dei Congressi, and Hotel Panorama Palace, in triple and quadruple rooms on a half-board basis.
Fees and supplements
The participation fee for the 2026 edition is 265 euros per person; in 2025 it was 229 euros. Single room supplement: 35 euros per day; double room supplement: 7 euros per day. Travel, airport transfers, parking, tour guides, health insurance, organized excursions, and the municipal tourist tax (1 to 3 euros per person per day) are not included.
Practical tips
Late June is high season in Sorrento: it is advisable to book well in advance and get around on foot or by public transport. Excursions to Capri and the Amalfi Coast are optional and must be booked separately. For the public attending the evening performances, light clothing is recommended, and arriving early is advised as the central squares fill up quickly.
Contacts
Organized by Blue Diamond Events: [email protected] - registration and regulations on the official event website.
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