KaPtura Festival – Metal Midnight Forest

The metal festival in the Asti woods

KaPtura Festival – Metal Midnight Forest is one of the most vibrant open-air metal events in Italy. It takes place in Piea, a small town in the Province of Asti nestled in the Monferrato hills of Piedmont, at the sports field along the Strada Provinciale 1C. The event's claim, "The Woodland Experience", perfectly captures its identity: heavy music played in the greenery, far from big cities, with the audience camping just steps away from the stage.

The 2026 edition

The fourth edition runs from July 24 to 26, 2026, featuring a top-tier lineup. On Friday, July 24, the stage is dominated by the German band Obscura, masters of technical death metal, joined by Italian techno-death pioneers Sadist, along with Ponte del Diavolo, Infection Code, and Black Ancestry. Saturday, July 25, features headliners Rhapsody of Fire, the global icons of Italian symphonic power metal, with Eldritch, Winterage, Embrace of Souls, Derdian, Septem, Axeblade, and Evilizers rounding out a true marathon of metal made in Italy.

Sunday and the connection with Monferrato On Stage

The festival concludes on Sunday, July 26, with a more popular-themed appointment, part of the Monferrato On Stage program, the traveling festival that has been bringing live music to the UNESCO-listed hills for years. This final day broadens the audience beyond metal fans, confirming the festival as a celebration for the entire region.

Camping and atmosphere

One of KaPtura's hallmarks is the free camping area reserved for ticket holders: a choice that reinforces the community spirit typical of metal festivals, where the audience lives the event for its entire duration, amidst concerts, exhibitor stands, and social gatherings. The natural setting of Piea and the organization managed by the Fondazione MOS ETS, Nadir Music, and the Pro Loco of Piea do the rest.

An event rooted in the territory

Born in 2023, KaPtura Festival has grown rapidly to become a highly anticipated event for metal lovers in Northwest Italy. For Piea and the Asti Monferrato, it also represents a valuable tourism showcase, capable of attracting visitors from all over Italy to a corner of Piedmont often off the beaten path.