Tarantelliri - Folk Music Festival

The folk music festival of the Ciociaria region

Tarantelliri is one of the most well-known folk music festivals in Central-Southern Italy, born and raised in Castelliri, a small town in the province of Frosinone, nestled in the hills of the Liri Valley in the heart of the Ciociaria region, in southern Lazio. The name of the festival itself plays on the town's name—Castelliri—and the tarantella, the dance that gives voice to the musical tradition of the Italian South.

The sonic roots of the South

The festival was born as a synthesis of sounds from different cultures and eras: the Salento pizzica, taranta, the Campanian tammurriata, and the saltarello from Lazio and Central Italy. Folk music, as the organizers explain, is the sonic transposition of a people's history, culture, and character: it accompanies births, weddings, festivals, religious rites, and moments of work and leisure. At Tarantelliri, this heritage comes alive on stage, reinterpreted and rearranged by leading musicians.

The format: two evenings, two souls

In its classic form, the festival takes place over two evenings with complementary characters: the first dedicated to more traditional Italian folk music, the second to singer-songwriters and folk-rock bands. A blend that has made Tarantelliri an event capable of speaking to both enthusiasts of ancient rites and a younger audience.

The great names that have graced the stage

Throughout its editions, the festival has hosted high-profile artists. Among them are Francesco De Gregori with the Italian Popular Orchestra led by Ambrogio Sparagna, Teresa De Sio, Cristiano De André, Paola Turci, Nada, Luca Barbarossa, Tony Esposito, Cisco (formerly of Modena City Ramblers), Bandabardò, and the Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino, the first and oldest Salento folk music group. A single edition has drawn up to 10,000 spectators, a testament to the event's deep roots in the territory.

A festival that moved to Veroli

Organized by the Tarantelliri Onlus Association, based in Castelliri, in collaboration with local municipal administrations, the festival kept its home in the Ciociaria village for many years. In more recent editions, however, the event has moved to nearby Veroli, also in the province of Frosinone: in 2025, the event was held at the "Palacoccia" Sports Hall, and the 2026 edition is also announced in Veroli. At present, no new edition has been confirmed for Castelliri, the festival's original home.

Experiencing the Ciociaria in summer

Tarantelliri embodies the joy of typical Italian summer festivals, particularly in the Ciociaria region: streets and squares filled with music, rhythms that make it impossible to stand still, and an intergenerational audience dancing until late at night. It is an opportunity to discover an authentic corner of southern Lazio, amidst the Liri Valley, medieval villages, and the genuine cuisine of the Frosinone province.