International Midsummer Festival
A month of music, theatre, and dance in the heart of the Marsica region
About Midsummer Festival
The International Midsummer Festival in Tagliacozzo
The International Midsummer Festival is one of the longest-running and most acclaimed summer cultural events in Abruzzo. Founded in 1985, it takes place every year in Tagliacozzo, an elegant village in the Marsica region in the province of L'Aquila, turning the historic centre into a widespread stage where symphonic music, opera, jazz, singer-songwriter concerts, theatre, and ballet alternate.
A multidisciplinary programme
Directed for many years by Maestro Jacopo Sipari di Pescasseroli, the festival builds each edition around a central theme, weaving together great classical music and popular entertainment. The programme combines symphonic concerts, pop and singer-songwriter performances, prose theatre, cabaret, and dance, with the aim of making the intersection of different artistic languages accessible to a wide audience.
The venues
The heart of the event is the Cloister of San Francesco, an intimate and atmospheric setting for evening concerts. However, events extend to other parts of the city and the surrounding area, such as Piazza Duca degli Abruzzi, the Ducal Palace, and local sanctuaries and churches, where the famous dawn concerts are also held. This widespread approach turns the entire town of Tagliacozzo into a festival city for the whole month, with medieval vistas, courtyards, and churches becoming open-air auditoriums under the summer sky of the Marsica region.
A landmark event for Abruzzo
Promoted by the City of Tagliacozzo with the support of the Ministry of Culture and the Abruzzo Region, and in collaboration with the Abruzzo Symphony Orchestra, the International Midsummer Festival is a benchmark for the region's cultural life during the summer season, attracting audiences and artists from all over Italy to a stunning natural and monumental setting. Its longevity, having run without interruption since 1985, makes it one of the most iconic summer appointments in the Abruzzo cultural calendar.
Midsummer Festival — edition 2026
2026 Edition: In the spirit of Saint Francis
The 42nd edition of the International Midsummer Festival takes place in Tagliacozzo from July 31 to August 29, 2026, with 24 events. The central theme is the 800th anniversary of the death of Saint Francis of Assisi, evoked by the chosen symbol: the rose window of the Assisi Cathedral. The festival is promoted by the City of Tagliacozzo with the Ministry of Culture and the Abruzzo Region, and directed by Maestro Jacopo Sipari di Pescasseroli, now in his tenth year as director.
A star-studded programme
Announced guests include Francesco Gabbani, Enrico Brignano, Rita Pavone, Tony Hadley (former voice of Spandau Ballet), Cristiano De André, Ron, Simona Molinari, and journalist Aldo Cazzullo, as well as the ballet of the Varna National Opera. The inauguration, on July 31 in the Cloister of San Francesco, features the pop oratorio "Faccia a faccia con San Francesco".
Programme Midsummer Festival 2026
2026 Programme (selection)
- July 31 — Pop oratorio "Faccia a faccia con San Francesco" with Simona Molinari and Davide Rondoni, Cloister of San Francesco, 9:30 PM
- August 1-2 — Ballet evenings by the Varna National Opera, Cloister of San Francesco
- August 12 — Musical evening with Rita Pavone
- August 17 — Dawn concert for the 270th anniversary of Mozart at the Sanctuary of the Madonna d'Oriente, 6:00 AM
- August 22 — Francesco Gabbani, "Dalla Tua Parte - Tour 2026", Piazza Duca degli Abruzzi, 9:30 PM
- August 29 — Celebratory event on Saint Francis with Aldo Cazzullo, Cloister of San Francesco, 6:00 PM
The programme also includes Enrico Brignano, Tony Hadley, Cristiano De André, and Ron.
Highlights Midsummer Festival 2026
Prices Midsummer Festival 2026
Practical information — Midsummer Festival
How to get there
Tagliacozzo is located in the province of L'Aquila, along the A24 Rome-L'Aquila motorway (Tagliacozzo exit). It is also accessible by train on the Rome-Pescara line, with a railway station in the town.
Tickets
Many events, particularly some concerts in the Cloister of San Francesco and the dawn concerts, are free or by voluntary donation; shows featuring major headliners are ticketed. Tickets can be purchased online via the official box office and at authorized sales points.
Information
City of Tagliacozzo — tel. +39 0863 6141 — official website festivaldimezzaestate.it.
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Where does it take place — Midsummer Festival
Chiostro di San Francesco
Chiostro di San Francesco, 67069 Tagliacozzo