May Day Concertone

A civic and musical ritual in the heart of Rome

The May Day Concertone is Italy's most-watched free musical event. Since 1990, it has been held in Rome, Lazio, in front of the Basilica of St. John Lateran: a square that for one day becomes a massive open-air amphitheater, capable of hosting hundreds of thousands of people. The event is promoted by the three major trade unions, CGIL, CISL, and UIL, to celebrate International Workers' Day, and is organized by iCompany under the artistic direction of Massimo Bonelli.

What makes the Concertone unique is not just its duration—a marathon of over nine hours of live music—but the coexistence on the same stage of vastly different genres and generations: classic rock and singer-songwriter traditions, chart-topping pop, rap, indie, and bands fresh from the club scene. There are no tickets or reservations: entry is free, you arrive when you want, and you stay as long as you like.

Music, and more than just music

The Roman May Day is not a festival like any other: between performances, the stage hosts speeches, testimonials, and monologues that each year address themes related to the world of work—safety, job insecurity, rights, wages, and new technologies. The artists themselves often take the floor. It is this dual nature, as both a popular concert and a trade union rally, that has made the Concertone an event that goes far beyond the audience of mere music fans.

• Free admission, no ticket or registration required
• Over 40 artists each year, including stars and newcomers
• Full live TV broadcast on Rai 3, radio coverage on Rai Radio2, and streaming on RaiPlay
• An afternoon pre-show dedicated to emerging talent
• The 1MNEXT contest, which brings an up-and-coming artist selected from hundreds of applicants to the stage each year

The square, the stage, the setting

Piazza di San Giovanni in Laterano is the historic home of the event. Only in 2024, due to construction work for the Jubilee, did the Concertone move to the Circus Maximus, returning to San Giovanni in 2025. The stage is set up facing the basilica's facade, and the square fills up from the early afternoon; those wanting to be near the stage generally arrive before the evening session begins.

1MNEXT: the springboard for newcomers

Alongside the main lineup, the Concertone has for years hosted 1MNEXT, the competition reserved for emerging Italian artists. The finalist bands and soloists perform on the San Giovanni stage in front of a massive audience and a national broadcast: for many, it has been their first real breakthrough. The winner of the 2026 edition was Bambina, selected from the three finalists.

Tips for the best experience

The crowd is vast and the day is long: it is best to arrive with water, a hat, and comfortable shoes, and to factor in long exit times at the end of the evening. The San Giovanni area offers numerous bars and restaurants, but they are packed during peak hours. For those visiting Rome, May Day is also an opportunity to discover the Esquilino district and the Basilica of St. John Lateran, the cathedral of Rome, just a few steps from the stage.