Lands of Water Festival and Re Manfredi International Culture Prize
A week of books, author talks, and awards in Manfredonia, on the Gulf of Gargano
About Lands of Water Festival
A festival telling the story of Capitanata
The Lands of Water Festival is one of the most anticipated cultural events of the summer in Manfredonia, a city on the Gulf of Gargano in the province of Foggia, Apulia. Promoted by the Re Manfredi Foundation, chaired by Michele De Meo, the festival was created with the vision of using culture as a lever for the development of the Capitanata region, connecting words, music, awards, and high-profile guests.
The heart of the festival's literary program is the Marina del Gargano Amphitheatre, located within the tourist port: an open-air setting overlooking the water, which gives the event its name and welcomes hundreds of spectators every evening.
The three souls of the festival
The program is structured around three main events that take place over the course of a week:
- Ti Porto un Libro: the literary festival, the narrative and educational soul of the event, featuring a series of evening meetings dedicated to novels, essays, and current affairs, hosted by presenters and journalists.
- Re Manfredi International Culture Prize: the closing ceremony in Piazza Falcone e Borsellino, which annually honors personalities from the worlds of culture, entertainment, institutions, research, and entrepreneurship.
- The thematic sections dedicated to storytelling and the promotion of the territory, focusing on territorial marketing and the "economy of beauty".
Guests and awards
Throughout its editions, the festival has brought writers, journalists, essayists, singers, and artists of national renown to Manfredonia, with awards involving figures from the worlds of culture, media, music, and entertainment. The evenings of the Re Manfredi Prize are often accompanied by musical moments and live performances, featuring the ICO Suoni del Sud Orchestra and other guests.
A date for the city
More than just a festival, the Lands of Water Festival has become a collective ritual that inaugurates the summer season in Manfredonia and the Gargano, capable of filling the seaside amphitheatre and the city square. It is an opportunity to unite the local public and visitors around reading, cultural debate, and the promotion of the Capitanata region.
Lands of Water Festival — edition 2026
The 2026 edition, the sixth, of the Lands of Water Festival is dedicated to the theme of the "Economy of Beauty" and takes place from June 29 to July 4 in Manfredonia. The "Ti Porto un Libro" literary festival, now in its sixth year, enlivens the Marina del Gargano Amphitheatre with five consecutive evenings of author meetings, concluding on July 4 with the 33rd edition of the Re Manfredi International Culture Prize in Piazza Falcone e Borsellino. The event, promoted by the Re Manfredi Foundation chaired by Michele De Meo, was presented on June 25, 2026, in the Sala della Ruota of Palazzo Dogana in Foggia.
Programme Lands of Water Festival 2026
Ti Porto un Libro — Marina del Gargano Amphitheatre
Literary festival hosted by Micky de Finis, from June 29 to July 3, in the evening at the tourist port.
- June 29 — Alessandro Di Battista presents Democrazia deviata
- June 30 — Vincenzo (Enzo) Amendola presents L'imam deve morire
- July 1 — Floridiana Ventrella (Lavorare al Sud è impossibile) and Flavio R. Albano (La tornanza)
- July 2 — Gennaro Sangiuliano presents Il Sultano
- July 3 — Alessandro Maurizi (Il diavolo nel palazzo) and Paolo Di Giannantonio (Racconti di un inviato)
33rd Re Manfredi International Culture Prize
July 4 — Piazza Falcone e Borsellino, Manfredonia. Closing ceremony with awards and live performances, including Elisa Barucchieri & ResExtensa, the ICO Suoni del Sud Orchestra, and Pinuccio and Antonino.
Among the awardees of the 33rd edition: Renzo Arbore, Francesco Casillo, Gen. Luca Goretti, Uccio De Santis, Paolo Di Giannantonio, Luigi De Vito, Rita De Padova, Mariarita Costanza, Michele Mirabella, Vincenzo D'Angelo, Licia Lanera, Fiorenza Pascazio, Rosella Santoro, and Francesco Giorgino.
Highlights Lands of Water Festival 2026
Practical information — Lands of Water Festival
Where it takes place
The "Ti Porto un Libro" literary festival is held at the Marina del Gargano Amphitheatre, at the tourist port of Manfredonia (FG). The Re Manfredi Prize ceremony takes place in Piazza Falcone e Borsellino, in the city centre.
How to get there
Manfredonia can be reached by car from the Foggia exit on the A14 motorway, continuing along the SS89 towards the Gargano. The train station connects the city to the Foggia line. The tourist port and the centre are easily reachable on foot from each other.
Information
The detailed program is published by the Re Manfredi Foundation and covered by the local press of the Capitanata. The events take place mainly in the evening, outdoors.
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Where does it take place — Lands of Water Festival
Anfiteatro Marina del Gargano
Anfiteatro Marina del Gargano, Porto Turistico, 71043 Manfredonia