Pomigliano Jazz in Campania
International jazz between the crater of Mount Vesuvius, ancient ruins, and the railway stations of Campania
About Pomigliano Jazz
Thirty years of jazz at the gates of Naples
Conceived and directed by Onofrio Piccolo, Pomigliano Jazz in Campania was born in 1996 in Pomigliano d'Arco, a city in the province of Naples known primarily for its industrial history. Over three decades, the festival has established itself as one of the most prominent jazz events in Southern Italy, successfully blending international stars with experimental research, new generations, and the deep musical roots of Naples. In 2025, the festival celebrated its thirtieth edition, and in 2026, it reached its 31st year.
An itinerant festival across Campania
What sets Pomigliano Jazz apart from almost every other Italian festival is its choice of venues. The event has long abandoned the single-stage format to become itinerant, involving various municipalities in the Vesuvius and Nolano areas. Iconic locations include:
- Vesuvius National Park, featuring concerts on the crater, one of the most famous and photographed settings of the festival;
- Avella, with its Roman Amphitheatre and the archaeological area of the monumental necropolis;
- Cimitile, home to the Early Christian Basilicas complex, one of the most important early Christian sites in Europe;
- Pomigliano d'Arco, where the Circumvesuviana (EAV) station is transformed for several days into a venue for concerts, DJ sets, exhibitions, meetings, and performances.
Over the years, the project has expanded to other towns in the region, such as Casoria, Ottaviano, Pollena Trocchia, Sant'Anastasia, and Somma Vesuviana: a way to bring live music out of concert halls and into the landscape, archaeology, and daily life of the Campanian province.
International-level programming
The lineup alternates world-class jazz soloists and ensembles with projects tailor-made for the festival. The festival stages have hosted, among others, Cuban pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba, saxophonist Joe Lovano, guitarist Al Di Meola, British saxophonist Nubya Garcia, trumpeter Enrico Rava, pianist Enrico Pieranunzi, producer Adrian Sherwood, trombonist Gianluca Petrella, and numerous Campanian musicians like Daniele Sepe, Maria Pia De Vito, and Marco Zurzolo. The program also embraces cross-genre influences, including African and Mediterranean world music, electronic music, and Neapolitan singer-songwriter traditions.
The festival and its territory
Pomigliano Jazz is more than just a series of concerts: it is a cultural project active year-round. The Pomigliano Jazz Foundation organizes the event in partnership with the municipalities of Pomigliano d'Arco, Avella, and Cimitile, with the support of the Campania Region (Scabec) and the Ministry of Culture, and collaborates with EAV for the station events. One of the most significant initiatives is the Young Jazz Lab, an educational project involving hundreds of young musicians from schools across Campania, culminating in the Rhythm and Improvisation Orchestra, a group of musicians aged 8 to 18 that closed the 30th-anniversary edition.
Why it's worth the trip
Attending a concert at sunrise or sunset on the crater of Mount Vesuvius, listening to a piano trio among the basilicas of Cimitile, or catching a DJ set on the tracks of the Circumvesuviana are experiences rarely found elsewhere. For those visiting Naples and the Vesuvius area between late July and autumn, Pomigliano Jazz is the perfect opportunity to combine high-quality music, archaeological sites off the mass-tourism path, and volcanic landscapes that are, in themselves, worth the journey.
Pomigliano Jazz — edition 2026
31st edition: starting from Avella
The festival conceived and directed by Onofrio Piccolo inaugurated its thirty-first edition on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, in the archaeological area of the monumental necropolis of Avella, in the province of Avellino, with an international-level opening concert. Guided tours of the site preceded the music, starting at 7:30 PM, with the concert beginning at 9:00 PM.
A calendar running through autumn
Following the preview, the 31st edition continues with a program that organizers have scheduled between August and November 2026. The first phase, in late August, returns to the festival's most signature locations — the Vesuvius crater and the Early Christian Basilicas of Cimitile — while subsequent dates are communicated progressively on the official website. The edition is organized by the Pomigliano Jazz Foundation in partnership with the municipalities of Pomigliano d'Arco, Avella, and Cimitile.
How to follow the announcements
The updated calendar, including locations, times, and presale information, is published on the pomiglianojazz.com website and the festival's social media channels. Those wishing to attend concerts on Vesuvius or at the archaeological sites should act early: the capacity of these locations is necessarily limited.
Programme Pomigliano Jazz 2026
Preview — Wednesday, July 22, 2026, Avella (AV)
Archaeological area of the monumental necropolis — guided tours from 7:30 PM, concert at 9:00 PM.
- FIRST MEETING — Gonzalo Rubalcaba (piano), Chris Potter (saxophone), Larry Grenadier (double bass), Eric Harland (drums)
Summer and autumn phase — from August to November 2026
The organizers have announced an initial phase in late August at the festival's symbolic locations, the Vesuvius crater and the Early Christian Basilicas of Cimitile, with the calendar continuing until November. The detailed program, including artist names and exact dates for individual stops, has not yet been fully published: it will be released by the Pomigliano Jazz Foundation on the official website.
Highlights Pomigliano Jazz 2026
- The super-quartet First Meeting — Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Chris Potter, Larry Grenadier, and Eric Harland — in a preview among the monumental tombs of the Roman necropolis of Avella.
- The return of concerts on the Vesuvius crater, the festival's trademark.
- The Early Christian Basilicas of Cimitile, one of the most important early Christian complexes in Europe, as an open-air concert hall.
- A long 31st edition, spread from July to November, rather than the classic concentrated week.
Prices Pomigliano Jazz 2026
Practical information — Pomigliano Jazz
Getting there
Pomigliano d'Arco is located about twenty kilometers from Naples. By train, it can be reached via the Circumvesuviana EAV line, which stops at the town station (one of the festival's own venues). By car, it is accessible via the A16 Naples-Canosa motorway and the Asse Mediano; the nearest airport is Naples-Capodichino, approximately 15 km away. The other locations (Avella, Cimitile, Vesuvius National Park) are more easily reached by car: for concerts on the Vesuvius crater, it is essential to check access and parking instructions provided by the organization in advance.
Tickets
Concerts are ticketed, and presales are handled through the Azzurro Service circuit (azzurroservice.net) and, for some dates, Vivaticket. Recent editions have offered discounts for under-25s. Rates and availability are published date by date on the official website.
Tips
For outdoor concerts, particularly those at high altitudes on Vesuvius, layered clothing and hiking shoes are recommended. Guided tours of archaeological sites, when scheduled, begin before the concerts: it is advisable to arrive with plenty of time to spare.
Contacts
Fondazione Pomigliano Jazz, Via Verdi 20, 80038 Pomigliano d'Arco (NA) — tel. +39 081 8032810 — www.pomiglianojazz.com
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Where does it take place — Pomigliano Jazz
Sedi diffuse in Campania: Stazione della Circumvesuviana di Pomigliano d'Arco, Anfiteatro Romano e necropoli monumentale di Avella, Basiliche Paleocristiane di Cimitile, Parco Nazionale del Vesuvio
Via Verdi 20, 80038 Pomigliano d'Arco