Minturno Musica Estate

A night of Italian music in the heart of Minturno

Minturno Musica Estate is the most anticipated musical event of the summer in the town of Minturno, located in the far south of the Lazio region, in the province of Latina, just a stone's throw from the Campania border and the Gulf of Gaeta. Each year, between late August and early September, Piazza Portanova—the drawing room of the medieval village overlooking the mouth of the Garigliano river—hosts a stage, a live orchestra, and some of the most famous names in Italian pop music.

From 2007 to today: twenty years of the festival

The festival began in 2007 and has spanned nearly two decades without changing its winning formula: a unique, free, open-air evening produced like a televised square show. The artistic direction is led by Pasquale Mammaro, a manager who has worked with artists such as Il Volo, Diodato, Orietta Berti, and Marcella Bella, while the musical accompaniment is traditionally provided by the orchestra conducted by Maestro Michele Pecora. Over the years, the Portanova stage has welcomed artists including Orietta Berti, Fiordaliso, Ivana Spagna, Valerio Scanu, Mietta, Chiara Galiazzo, Maninni, and Marcella Bella.

The Minturno d'Autore Award

One of the most iconic moments of the evening is the presentation of the Minturno d'Autore Award, a recognition given to performers and songwriters who have distinguished themselves in the Italian music scene; in 2025, it was awarded to Neapolitan singer-songwriter Andrea Sannino. Alongside the award, the show features entertainment guests, TV presenters, and comedy segments in a lineup that alternates between great classics and recent hits.

Music and devotion: the Patron Saint's feast

Minturno Musica Estate is not an isolated concert: the evening is embedded within the celebrations in honor of Maria SS. delle Grazie, the city's patron saint. In the days surrounding the event, the village comes alive with religious celebrations, the procession featuring the statue of the Madonna, illuminations, market stalls, and the fireworks display that concludes the festivities. It is this blend of popular devotion and contemporary entertainment that gives the event a character reaching beyond a simple summer concert: visitors experience both the tradition of a southern Lazio community and the music heard on the radio in a single night.

Inside the summer of Minturno and Scauri

The festival is a pillar of the municipal calendar that animates Minturno and the seaside district of Scauri every year, with over seventy events between July and August: the Serate a Minturnae in the Roman theater of the archaeological site, the Sagra delle Regne with its wheat floats, guided tours, food and wine tastings, theater, and street performances along the promenade. Those planning a late August stay on the Gulf of Gaeta can combine the musical evening with the beaches of Scauri, Monte d'Oro, and the Minturnae archaeological site.

Why it's worth the trip

• Free admission in a historic square overlooking the medieval village.
• Live orchestra, not recorded backing tracks: a rare choice for patronal feasts.
• Cast of artists well-known to the general public, with awards and surprise guests.
• Authentic patronal feast atmosphere, complete with procession and fireworks.
• Less than an hour from Formia, Gaeta, and Cassino, and halfway between Rome and Naples.