Salina Jazz Festival

A jazz festival between the sea and the sunset in the Aeolian Islands

The Salina Jazz Festival is one of the most evocative musical events of the Aeolian summer. It takes place in Malfa, one of the three municipalities on the island of Salina, in the Aeolian archipelago in the province of Messina, Sicily. The main venue is Palazzo Marchetti, a historic residence in Malfa, but the festival's signature is its sunrise concerts, held directly on the piers of the ports of Santa Marina and Malfa.

The concept: music at daybreak

What makes this festival unique is the dialogue between music and the island's landscape. Alongside the evening concerts at Palazzo Marchetti, the program features the famous sunrise concerts at 6:30 AM, when the audience gathers at the port to listen to jazz as the sun rises over the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is an experience that has turned the Salina Jazz Festival into a small cult event among enthusiasts and travelers who choose the Aeolian Islands at the end of the season.

Organization and artistic direction

The festival is organized by the Associazione Didime '90, a historic cultural entity on the island, and is part of the broader summer calendar of the Salina International Arts Fest – Incontri a Palazzo Marchetti, which brings music, theater, art, and book presentations to Malfa from June to September. The artistic direction is entrusted to maestro Giuseppe Urso. The festival was born from the vision of Clara Rametta, the association's founder and the cultural soul of Malfa for many years, to whose memory the 2025 edition was dedicated.

What to expect

• Evening concerts at Palazzo Marchetti, with double performances (around 8:00 PM and 9:30 PM).
• Sunrise concerts at the ports of Santa Marina and Malfa, at the first light of day.
• A program ranging from classic jazz to original projects, featuring Sicilian musicians and international guests.
• Free admission to all concerts.

Salina, an island to discover

Salina is the greenest of the Aeolian Islands, famous for its Malvasia vineyards and capers. The festival is also an opportunity to discover an island with authentic charm, far from mass tourism. Combining sunrise jazz with a day spent between Pollara, Santa Marina, and Lingua is one of the most beautiful ways to experience Malfa and the archipelago in September.