White Night of Poetry
Two days of verse, music, and culture in the historic center of Giovinazzo
About White Night of Poetry
The White Night of Poetry in Giovinazzo
Every summer, the ancient village of Giovinazzo, overlooking the Adriatic in the Metropolitan City of Bari, lights up with verse for the White Night of Poetry. Promoted by the Academy of Thoughts and Cultures of the Mediterranean and directed by poet and critic Gianni Antonio Palumbo, the event has become a benchmark for contemporary poetry in Southern Italy over the years, attracting authors from across Italy and international guests.
A polyphonic formula
What sets the White Night of Poetry apart is its choral structure, which weaves multiple languages into a single journey: academic seminars dedicated to Mediterranean poetry, author readings and recitals, civil reflections, live concerts (harp, flute, saxophone), and multimedia performances. The public moves freely between the venues in the historic center, experiencing poetry as a widespread and collective event.
The venues
The event takes place in three iconic spaces of the village:
- Bishop's Palace (Palazzo Vescovile), a 17th-century building hosting seminars and major recitals;
- Sala San Felice, home to dialogues, dramatizations, and parallel meetings;
- Piazza Meschino, the open-air heart of the festival, featuring young poets, concerts, and the Bari dialect tradition.
Territory and new voices
The White Night of Poetry is not just a showcase for established names: over the years, it has strengthened the collaboration between Giovinazzo and nearby Molfetta, involving schools, associations, and local Pro Loco organizations. Ample space is reserved for young people, with high school students taking the stage within the "Poets' Circle": poetry enters the schools, and the schools enter the festival.
A festival for Puglia
With the patronage of the Municipality of Giovinazzo, the event contributes to enhancing the cultural and landscape heritage of the Adriatic Puglia, offering residents and visitors two free days of words, music, and beauty among the white stones of the historic center.
White Night of Poetry — edition 2026
16th edition — July 4 and 5, 2026
The sixteenth edition of the White Night of Poetry returns to Giovinazzo on July 4 and 5, 2026, under the artistic direction of Gianni Antonio Palumbo and with the patronage of the Municipality. The theme of the year is travel, explored through wandering, migration, and the crossing of Mediterranean cultures. Over a hundred guests will take turns in the three venues of the historic center.
Great space is reserved for new voices: dozens of high school students from Giovinazzo and Molfetta will take the stage of the "Poets' Circle," while a civil focus will celebrate the 80th anniversary of universal suffrage in Italy (1946-2026).
Programme White Night of Poetry 2026
Saturday, July 4 — Bishop's Palace
- Morning: "Mediterranean Poetry Seminars," with a focus by Amedeo Anelli on the ethics of language in world literature.
- Afternoon/evening: opening concert with Daniela Ippolito (harp) and Vincenzo Mastropirro (flute); recital by Carlo Alberto Sitta and international guest Milica Lilic; civil moment on the 80th anniversary of universal suffrage.
Saturday, July 4 — Sala San Felice
- "Plural Communication" with futurist dramatizations, Lucanian readings, and the "Poets' Banquet."
Sunday, July 5 — Sala San Felice
- Morning: dialogues on wandering and travel with Carlo Alberto Sitta and Raffaella Terribile.
Sunday, July 5 — Bishop's Palace
- Tribute to Mimmo Amato; "Voice of Bitter Earth" with emerging young poets; multimedia performance "Timbe-condra-timbe"; "Women and Poetry" movement with Anna Santoliquido; closing with live saxophone by Vittorino Curci.
Sunday, July 5 — Piazza Meschino
- "The Poets' Circle" with high school students, concerts, and Bari dialect tradition.
Highlights White Night of Poetry 2026
Prices White Night of Poetry 2026
Practical information — White Night of Poetry
Where
Historic center of Giovinazzo (BA): Bishop's Palace, Sala San Felice, and Piazza Meschino. The venues are just a few steps from each other and easily accessible on foot.
How to get there
By car from the A14 motorway (Bari Nord / Molfetta exit) then the SS16 Adriatica. By train via the Ferrovie del Nord Barese line and Trenitalia (Giovinazzo station). The nearest airport is Bari-Palese "Karol Wojtyla".
Admission
Participation in events is generally free. We recommend checking the channels of the Academy of Thoughts and Cultures of the Mediterranean and the Municipality of Giovinazzo for the updated program.
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Where does it take place — White Night of Poetry
Palazzo Vescovile, Sala San Felice, Piazza Meschino