Sherocco Festival
The LGBTQIA+ rights and culture festival in Ostuni
About Sherocco
A rainbow breeze over the Itria Valley
The Sherocco Festival is one of Italy's leading events dedicated to LGBTQIA+ rights and culture. Every summer, it transforms Ostuni, the famous White City in the province of Brindisi, into a massive rainbow village where art, music, activism, and critical thinking converge. The name plays on the 'scirocco'—the warm southern wind—reimagined here as the wind of Sherocco, blowing across Puglia to bring inclusion, memory, and change.
The Santa Maria di Agnano Park village
The heart of the festival is the evocative Santa Maria di Agnano Archaeological and Natural Park, located just outside Ostuni. Surrounded by ancient olive trees, caves, and ruins, the park hosts stages, exhibition spaces, and meeting areas. Throughout the event, a multidisciplinary program unfolds, featuring concerts, theatrical performances, DJ sets, queer stand-up comedy, film screenings, and art exhibitions, all centered on LGBTQIA+ identities and artistic expression.
The Sherocco Academy
The jewel in the crown of the event is the Sherocco Academy, the first summer school in Southern Italy dedicated to gender studies and queer theory. Through lectures, debates, and workshops, the Academy brings renowned national and international scholars and activists to Ostuni, making the festival not just a celebration, but a laboratory for thought and education.
Rights, community, and the Ostuni Pride
The festival is promoted by the APS Fuoriluogo association, with the support of the Puglia Region and the Municipality of Ostuni. Beyond the performances, each edition hosts the Ostuni Pride, a parade that marches through the city streets in the name of visibility and rights, followed by the Official Pride Party. Sherocco has thus become a landmark for the queer community in Southern Italy and for anyone looking to experience a few days of culture, music, and freedom in the unique setting of Puglia.
Sherocco — edition 2026
The fifth edition of the Sherocco Festival takes place in Ostuni from July 2 to 5, 2026, preceded by a preview on Wednesday, July 1st. The rainbow village of the Santa Maria di Agnano Archaeological and Natural Park comes alive once again with concerts, shows, exhibitions, stand-up comedy, and DJ sets, while the Sherocco Academy offers its summer school on gender studies. The civil heart of the edition is the Ostuni Pride on Saturday, July 4th, followed by the Official Pride Party. The festival is organized by APS Fuoriluogo with the support of the Puglia Region and the Municipality of Ostuni, and in partnership with Emergency.
Programme Sherocco 2026
Wednesday, July 1 — Preview
- Emma Dante presents L'Angelo del Focolare at the Teatro Paolo Grassi in Cisternino
- Inauguration of the photo exhibition by Palestinian photojournalist Fatima Hassouna at the Municipal Cloister of Ostuni
Thursday, July 2 — Opening of the rainbow village
- 6:00 PM — Official opening at the Santa Maria di Agnano Park with Karma B, godmothers and guides for every evening
- Concerts, talks, and DJ sets until late at night
Friday, July 3
- Start of the Sherocco Academy, summer school on gender studies and queer theory
- Concerts and performances in the village
Saturday, July 4 — Ostuni Pride
- Ostuni Pride parade through the streets of the White City
- Official Pride Party with Karma B and DJ sets by Stefano Protopapa, Dario Mangiaracina (La Rappresentante di Lista), and Playgirls from Caracas
Sunday, July 5 — Grand Finale
- Final lessons of the Sherocco Academy
- Closing concerts
Musical guests for this edition include concerts by Mille, Sarafine, and Andera; there is also space for queer stand-up comedy with Simonetta Musitano, Frad, and Gabriele Piazza, and DJ sets by Coca Puma. The full program and Academy registration details are published on the official website.
Highlights Sherocco 2026
Prices Sherocco 2026
Practical information — Sherocco
Location
The festival takes place at the Santa Maria di Agnano Archaeological and Natural Park, a few kilometers from the center of Ostuni (BR), in Puglia. Some preview events are also held in the town center (Municipal Cloister) and in nearby Cisternino.
Getting there
Ostuni can be reached by car via the SS16 Adriatica highway; the Ostuni train station is on the Bari-Lecce line. The nearest airports are Brindisi (approx. 40 km) and Bari (approx. 90 km).
Tickets
Entry to the village requires a ticket, with daily passes and subscriptions available for pre-sale on the DICE platform and also on-site. For the updated program, schedules, and Sherocco Academy registration, visit the official website: sheroccofestival.it.
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Where does it take place — Sherocco
Parco Archeologico e Naturalistico di Santa Maria di Agnano
Contrada Santa Maria di Agnano, 72017 Ostuni