International Festival of Marching Bands & Majorettes
The grand international celebration of marching bands and majorettes in Giulianova
About Giulianova Marching Band Festival
An international festival in the heart of the Adriatic
The International Festival of Marching Bands & Majorettes is one of the most anticipated musical events of the Abruzzo summer. Each year, the town of Giulianova, in the province of Teramo, welcomes dozens of ensembles from all over the world for a week of parades, concerts, and majorette performances. Organized by the Padre Candido Donatelli Cultural Association, the festival has become a European benchmark for marching band music and the art of majorettes.
Music and color between the historic center and the seafront
The festival comes alive in the two faces of Giulianova: the charming historic center perched on the hill, with its Piazza Bruno Buozzi serving as the heart of ceremonies and awards, and the lively Giulianova Lido seafront, where bands parade along Viale Orsini and the Lungomare Zara all the way to Piazza del Mare. The days are filled with morning parades, neighborhood performances, school shows, and grand evening concerts that bring the city's squares and streets to life.
A world-class competition
At the core of the event is a true musical competition, evaluated by a specialized jury, featuring numerous awards: from the Absolute First Prize to honors for Best Symphonic Band, Best Show Band, Best Choreography, Best Conductor, Best Soloist, and Best Majorette Group. There is also the People's Jury Award and the election of Miss Festival. Over the years, ensembles from Europe, the Americas, and Asia have taken turns, bringing sounds and traditions from every continent to Giulianova.
A celebration for the whole community
Beyond the competition, the International Festival of Marching Bands & Majorettes is, above all, a grand popular festival that involves the entire municipality of Giulianova and its visitors. Colorful parades, flamboyant uniforms, the rhythms of marching bands, and the acrobatics of majorettes transform the streets into an open-air stage. It is a unique opportunity to discover this pearl of the Adriatic in Abruzzo, with its golden beaches, seafood cuisine, and warm hospitality.
Giulianova, between sea and hills in Abruzzo
Located on the Teramo coast, Giulianova is one of the most beloved seaside resorts in Abruzzo. The festival takes place during the ideal time to combine musical discovery with a beach vacation, amidst the Renaissance historic center, the Duomo di San Flaviano, and the long, Blue Flag-awarded beaches.
Giulianova Marching Band Festival — edition 2026
2026 Edition: 19 ensembles from 11 countries
The 26th edition brought ensembles to Giulianova from Italy, Sweden, Japan, Poland, the Czech Republic, Colombia, the Antilles, Guatemala, Honduras, Latvia, and other countries. The opening on May 26 saw the San Isidro Show Band from Honduras and the Royal Latín Band from Guatemala perform between Piazza Belvedere and the seafront, followed by the official ceremony in Piazza Buozzi with Abruzzo youth orchestras.
The Absolute First Prize went to the Takigawa Dai Ni High School Wind Orchestra and Marching Band (Japan), which also won awards for Best Symphonic Band, Best Show Band, Best Choreography, and Best Soloist (Koharu Ikeda). Second place went to the Riga Technical University Student Brass Orchestra "SPO" (Latvia) and third to the Corpo Bandistico Pontolliese of Ponte dell'Olio (Italy). The People's Jury Award was assigned to the San Isidro Show Band from Honduras.
Programme Giulianova Marching Band Festival 2026
Opening (May 26)
- Piazza Belvedere: San Isidro Show Band (Honduras) and parade towards Asilo De Amicis
- Lungomare Zara / Giulianova Lido: Royal Latín Band (Guatemala), parade along Viale Orsini and Via Nazario Sauro to Piazza del Mare
- Piazza Buozzi: official opening ceremony with the Lorenzo Di Egidio Youth Orchestra and the Anbima Abruzzo Youth Wind Orchestra conducted by Maestro Corrado Lambona
Competition and Awards
- Parades on the seafront and evening concerts in the squares of the historic center and the Lido
- Final awards ceremony in Piazza Buozzi (May 31)
Highlights Giulianova Marching Band Festival 2026
- Absolute First Prize: Takigawa Dai Ni High School Wind Orchestra (Japan)
- Second Prize: Riga Technical University Student Brass Orchestra "SPO" (Latvia)
- Third Prize: Corpo Bandistico Pontolliese – Ponte dell'Olio (Italy)
- People's Jury Award: San Isidro Show Band (Honduras)
- Best Majorette Group: Starlight Ferentum (Viterbo)
- Best Conductor: Maestro Martin Marklund (Sweden); Miss Festival 2026: Naelle Araminte (Etnik '97, Antilles)
Prices Giulianova Marching Band Festival 2026
Practical information — Giulianova Marching Band Festival
How to get there
By train: Giulianova station on the Bologna-Bari Adriatic line, just a short walk from the seafront. By car: take the Giulianova-Mosciano exit on the A14 motorway. By plane: Pescara Airport (Abruzzo Airport), approximately 40 km away.
Admission
Parades, concerts, and performances in the squares are free to attend.
Tips
The festival takes place between the historic center on the hill (Piazza Buozzi) and the Giulianova Lido seafront: it is advisable to check the daily program to follow the parades and concerts. There is a wide range of hotels and accommodation facilities along the seafront.
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Where does it take place — Giulianova Marching Band Festival
Piazza Bruno Buozzi (centro storico) e Lungomare Zara
Piazza Bruno Buozzi, 64021 Giulianova