Musica nei Saloni – Barber Shop Festival

A festival born inside barber shops

In San Vito dei Normanni, a small town in the province of Brindisi in the heart of Upper Salento, the barber shop has never been just a place for a haircut. For generations, it was the bottega where local men would gather to chat, share stories, and above all, make music: between one shave and the next, they learned to play the mandolin, passed down songs, and preserved an entire folk heritage. Musica nei Saloni was created to bring this tradition back to life, opening the doors of the historic center's barber shops to the public and transforming them into intimate, cozy stages.

The mandolin, the soul of San Vito

San Vito dei Normanni is known as one of the capitals of traditional plucked-string music in Southern Italy, and the Circolo Mandolinistico is its most authoritative guardian. During the festival, the Circolo guides the audience from shop to shop with small concerts that eventually merge into a large, collective musical banquet in the town squares. Alongside local musicians, artists and masters of tradition from other regions and countries perform every year, creating a cross-cultural dialogue that gives the festival an international flair while remaining deeply rooted in the local area.

More than just concerts

The Musica nei Saloni format weaves music together with craftsmanship and tradition. The program includes:

• singing, dance, and music workshops open to everyone, led by masters of tradition;
• luthier craft activities also dedicated to children, to discover how a plucked-string instrument is made;
• guided tours through the shops and salons of the historic center;
• local farmers' markets of Upper Salento, featuring typical local gastronomy and regional handicrafts.

An experience to live in town

Strolling through the streets of San Vito dei Normanni during the festival evenings, you move from one shop to another following the notes of the mandolin, amidst the scent of local products from the markets and the convivial atmosphere of the illuminated shops. It is a unique and authentic way to discover a Puglia village, far from the main tourist circuits, where folk music is still a matter of community. Admission to all events is free.