SEI Festival – Melpignano
The major evenings of the South East Independent in Melpignano
About SEI Festival
The South East Independent in Melpignano
The SEI Festival (South East Independent) is one of the longest-running and most recognizable touring music festivals in Salento: conceived, produced, and promoted by the Coolclub association, every summer it travels through various municipalities in the province of Lecce with a lineup that weaves together rock, singer-songwriter music, indie, electronic, and world music. Among its most beloved stops is Melpignano, a small town in Grecìa Salentina world-famous for the Notte della Taranta, which hosts some of the festival's headline concerts.
The village squares as a stage
In Melpignano, the festival chooses the town center: the large arena of Piazza Antonio Avantaggiato, in front of the Palazzo Marchesale, and the intimate Piazza San Giorgio, spaces that become open-air theaters under the Salento summer stars. Attending a concert in these squares means experiencing both the music and the identity of a village that has made great live music a part of its history.
Big names and new talent
The Melpignano program reflects the dual soul of the SEI: on one hand, icons of rock and Italian singer-songwriter music — in recent years, artists like CCCP – Fedeli alla Linea, Litfiba, and Fulminacci have graced these stages — and on the other, a search for new voices in the singer-songwriter and independent scene. Under the artistic direction of Cesare Liaci and Veronica Clarizio, each edition revolves around a theme that ties together concerts, theater, books, and dance.
A festival rooted in Salento
Realized with the support of the Ministry of Culture, the Puglia Region, and the participating municipalities, the SEI Festival is much more than a series of concerts: it is a widespread cultural project that enhances Salento villages such as Melpignano, Corigliano d'Otranto, Specchia, Lecce, and Copertino. For those visiting Puglia in summer, the evenings in Melpignano are an opportunity to listen to great music in an authentic setting, just a stone's throw from the famous Augustinian convent where the Notte della Taranta concert is held every year.
SEI Festival — edition 2026
The twentieth edition of the SEI Festival, with the slogan "Venti a Sud Est", takes place from July 18 to August 20, 2026, and traverses Salento with concerts, theater, books, and dance. In Melpignano, in the province of Lecce, the large arena of Piazza Antonio Avantaggiato hosts two of the summer's highlight events, in synergy with the Municipality of Melpignano and under the artistic direction of Cesare Liaci and Veronica Clarizio.
The protagonists of the two evenings are Litfiba, reunited in their historic lineup to celebrate forty years of one of the iconic records of Italian rock, and Fulminacci, one of the most original voices of the new singer-songwriter scene, in a concert opened by the singer-songwriter Henna.
Programme SEI Festival 2026
Friday, August 7, 2026 — Piazza Antonio Avantaggiato
- 9:00 PM — Litfiba in their original lineup (Piero Pelù, Ghigo Renzulli, Antonio Aiazzi, Gianni Maroccolo), a stop on the "Quarant'anni di 17 Re" tour, dedicated to the 40th anniversary of the 1986 album, one of the most influential in Italian rock.
Sunday, August 9, 2026 — Piazza Antonio Avantaggiato
- 9:00 PM — opening with Henna, a singer-songwriter blending synth-pop and original songwriting
- followed by Fulminacci, one of the most original voices of the new Italian singer-songwriter scene, with tracks from his repertoire and the new album "Calcinacci"
Tickets available for presale on TicketOne, Ticketmaster, and Vivaticket. A BusForRun shuttle service is provided for both evenings. Updates at seifestival.it.
Highlights SEI Festival 2026
Prices SEI Festival 2026
Practical information — SEI Festival
How to get there
Melpignano is located in Grecìa Salentina, in the province of Lecce, about 25 km from the regional capital. By car, it can be reached via the road to Maglie and Otranto; the reference stations are those of the Ferrovie del Sud Est on the Lecce–Otranto line, with a stop in Melpignano. The nearest airport is Brindisi.
Venues
Concerts take place mainly in Piazza Antonio Avantaggiato (Palazzo Marchesale arena) and in Piazza San Giorgio, in the town center.
Tickets and services
Some events have free admission, while major concerts are ticketed via TicketOne, Ticketmaster, and Vivaticket. For the most crowded evenings, a shuttle service (BusForRun) is often available. Program and updated information at seifestival.it.
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Where does it take place — SEI Festival
Piazza Antonio Avantaggiato