Jazz under the Stars - Pietrelcina Festival
Four evenings of signature jazz with free admission in Parco Colesanti, in the heart of the Sannio region
About Jazz under the Stars
A jazz festival born in a Sannio village
Jazz under the Stars - Pietrelcina Festival is one of the longest-running jazz events in Southern Italy. Established in 2005 in the municipality of Pietrelcina, in the Province of Benevento (Campania), the festival has built a distinct identity over time: quality music, always free admission, and a close bond with the host community. In twenty years of activity, the event has hosted 77 free concerts, involved 187 artists, and provided over 120 hours of live music, reaching a total audience of tens of thousands of spectators.
Pietrelcina is known worldwide as the birthplace of Padre Pio and welcomes thousands of pilgrims every year. But in the summer, the village changes its tune: the evenings of late July fill with double basses, trumpets, and pianos, and the festival becomes the cultural highlight that brings together residents, curious passersby, and enthusiasts from all over Southern Italy.
Parco Colesanti, a natural stage
All concerts are held in Parco Colesanti, a green area in the town center that transforms into an outdoor arena during the summer. This choice is part of the experience: you listen while sitting under the sky, without barriers and without a ticket, with the audience spread out on the lawn. In case of bad weather, the shows are not canceled but moved indoors to the municipal Palavetro.
«Narrating Notes»: the 2026 theme
The twenty-second edition, scheduled from July 27 to 30, 2026, is dedicated to the theme «Narrating Notes». Artistic director Giovanni Russo explains it as an invitation to listen to jazz for what it is: a narrative language capable of telling stories and evoking emotions through improvisation, dialogue between instruments, and variations on a theme. This led to the program's structure, which alternates autobiographical storytelling projects, encounters between different traditions, and musical portraits of 20th-century authors.
Who organizes it
The festival is organized by the ILEX Community Cooperative of Pietrelcina, with the patronage of the municipal administration. The cooperative does not limit itself to logistics: it also manages the food and wine aspect of the evenings, with tastings of Sannio products that begin before the concerts and accompany the public until late at night. It is a management model that has set a standard among Italian community cooperatives, as it links cultural programming to the promotion of local production and employment in the village.
Pietrelcina in Jazz Award
For the third consecutive year, the festival presents the Pietrelcina in Jazz Award, a hand-painted ceramic piece created by artist Sabrina De Ieso and presented to one of the guest artists. It is a symbolic recognition, yet consistent with the spirit of the event: a local artisanal object as a thank you to those who bring their music to the village.
More than just music
- Visual Arts — in the 2026 edition, the evening of July 28 is accompanied by an exhibition of works by master Leonildo Bocchino, taken from the "Legacy" collection.
- Sannio Food and Wine — evening tastings of Sannio specialties and more, in collaboration with the Pro Loco of Pietrelcina.
- Photographic Documentation — the evenings are captured in images by photographer Angelo Masone.
Why it's worth visiting
Few festivals manage to combine big names in international jazz with completely free admission. It has been happening here for over twenty years, in the setting of a town in inland Campania, half an hour from Benevento and just over an hour from Naples. Those who arrive for the first time are surprised by the quality of the programming; those who return do so because the festival has maintained a human dimension that larger events have lost.
Jazz under the Stars — edition 2026
2026 Edition: «Narrating Notes»
Twenty-two years and four evenings: from July 27 to 30, 2026, Parco Colesanti in Pietrelcina, in the Province of Benevento, returns to host Jazz under the Stars. The theme chosen by artistic director Giovanni Russo, «Narrating Notes», brings together a program built on the idea of jazz as a story: travel diaries, encounters between seemingly distant instruments, and musical portraits.
The most anticipated moment is the evening of July 28, with the duo formed by Paolo Fresu on trumpet, flugelhorn, and effects, and Daniele Di Bonaventura on bandoneon: a historic partnership in Italian jazz, accompanied here by the exhibition of works by master Leonildo Bocchino from the "Legacy" collection, inspired by Fresu's own discography.
As per tradition, admission is free to all evenings. The organization is entrusted to the ILEX Community Cooperative, with the patronage of the Municipality of Pietrelcina; in case of bad weather, concerts move to the Palavetro. For the third year, the Pietrelcina in Jazz Award, a hand-painted ceramic piece by Sabrina De Ieso, will be presented.
Programme Jazz under the Stars 2026
Monday, July 27, 2026
«Travel Diaries» — Valentina Fedullo (vocals), Lello Petrarca (piano), Aldo Vigorito (double bass).
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
Paolo Fresu (trumpet, flugelhorn, and effects) in a duo with Daniele Di Bonaventura (bandoneon). The evening is enriched by the exhibition of works by master Leonildo Bocchino from the "Legacy" collection.
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
«The Crazy Young Man» — Lorenzo Hengeller Quartet: Lorenzo Hengeller (vocals and piano), Gianfranco Campagnoli (trumpet and flugelhorn), Gabriele Evangelista (double bass), Bernardo Guerra (drums).
Thursday, July 30, 2026
«Intrusions» — Lorenzo Hengeller in a duo with singer Simona Boo.
Hours
Food and wine tastings from 8:30 PM, concerts from 10:00 PM, in Parco Colesanti. In case of bad weather, shows are held at the Palavetro.
Highlights Jazz under the Stars 2026
- Paolo Fresu and Daniele Di Bonaventura in a duo on July 28: trumpet, flugelhorn, and bandoneon, one of the most recognizable meetings in Italian jazz.
- Double evening with Lorenzo Hengeller: the "The Crazy Young Man" quartet on July 29 and the "Intrusions" duo with Simona Boo on July 30.
- «Travel Diaries» opening, with the vocals of Valentina Fedullo, the piano of Lello Petrarca, and the double bass of Aldo Vigorito.
- Works by Leonildo Bocchino from the "Legacy" collection exhibited during the concert on July 28.
- Pietrelcina in Jazz Award, third edition: hand-painted ceramic by Sabrina De Ieso.
- Sannio tastings every evening from 8:30 PM, curated by the ILEX Community Cooperative with the Pro Loco of Pietrelcina.
Prices Jazz under the Stars 2026
Practical information — Jazz under the Stars
How to get there
By car: from the A16 Naples-Canosa motorway, take the Benevento exit, then the SS90 "delle Puglie" towards Pietrelcina (about 15 km from Benevento). From the A1, take the Caianello exit and the SS372 "Telesina" to Benevento. Parking is available near Parco Colesanti.
By train: Benevento Centrale station, served by regional connections from Naples, Caserta, and Foggia; from there, take local buses or a taxi to Pietrelcina.
By plane: Naples-Capodichino airport, about 80 km away.
Venue
Parco Colesanti, Pietrelcina (BN). In case of bad weather, concerts take place at the municipal Palavetro.
Hours and admission
Free admission to all evenings, no reservation required. Food and wine tastings open at 8:30 PM, concerts start at 10:00 PM.
Practical tips
- Arrive early to find a spot and enjoy the tastings: it's part of the experience.
- Outdoor evenings can be cool in late July: a light sweater is recommended.
- For accommodation, B&Bs and farm stays are concentrated between Pietrelcina and Benevento; it is advisable to book ahead, as July is also high season for religious tourism related to Padre Pio.
- It is worth combining the festival with a visit to the historic center of Pietrelcina and the sites related to Padre Pio, as well as a stop at the Sannio wineries (Aglianico, Falanghina).
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Where does it take place — Jazz under the Stars
Parco Colesanti