- Art & Culture
- Music and show
Varzi Festival 2026
Music, Art and Performances in the Hills of Oltrepò Pavese This September
From 2 to 6 September 2026, Varzi becomes an open-air stage for the Varzi Festival, five evenings weaving together swing, pop and rock music, theatre, cinema, literature and photography in the heart of the Oltrepò Pavese. The festival's new main stage is the Auditorium of the Casa dei Servizi "G. Azzaretti", which will host every event on the programme. Admission to each evening is free, subject to availability.
Day by Day Programme
Wednesday 2 September – Swing, Art and Words
The evening opens at 8.30pm with a conversation between two leading figures of Italian art and television: host Patrick Ray Pugliese interviews artist Marco Lodola, one of Italy's best-known contemporary sculptors and painters, celebrated for his luminous sculptures. The evening continues with I Briganti dello Swing performing "Guarda la Luna, senti che swing" ("Look at the Moon, Feel the Swing"), a musical show featuring saxophonist Andres Villani.
Thursday 3 September – A Book and a Laugh
At 9pm, Mam Gagliani presents the book "InterNati" together with Cecio Bonomo. Comedian Enrico Bertolino, one of Italian comedy's best-loved faces, takes the stage afterwards.
Friday 4 September – Marina Rei in Concert
At 9.30pm the festival turns the spotlight on live music with a concert by Marina Rei, one of the most powerful voices in Italian rock and pop.
Saturday 5 September – Cinema and the Music of Vivaldi
Saturday opens at 5.30pm with cinema: a screening of the short film "Il Tesoro di Raffadali", by Bortolotto, Dondi, Lionti and Re, and the documentary "Tua Madre", directed by Leonardo Malaguti. At 9.30pm the evening turns to classical music with "Vivaldi. Uomo e Musicista" ("Vivaldi. The Man and the Musician"), a concert-reading led by conductor and Vivaldi specialist Federico Sardelli together with the ensemble I Solisti di Pavia.
Sunday 6 September – Photography and Theatre to Close the Festival
The grand finale brings together two different art forms. At 6pm, the meeting "Il coraggio delle donne" ("The Courage of Women") is devoted to contemporary photography, with curator Denis Curti and Manila Alfano, editor of La Provincia Pavese. At 9.30pm, Milan's Teatro Franco Parenti takes the stage with "Terzo Tempo" ("Third Half"), performed by Paolo Hendel and Lucia Vasini.
A Chance to Discover Varzi
Visitors attending the festival can also take the opportunity to explore the village of Varzi and the upper Staffora Valley, following the trails of the Greenway Voghera-Varzi, visiting the Witches' Tower (Torre delle Streghe) and the Temple of Fraternity in Cella, and sampling the area's culinary excellence, starting with the renowned Salame di Varzi DOP.
Useful Information
The Varzi Festival 2026 runs from 2 to 6 September at the Auditorium of the Casa dei Servizi "G. Azzaretti" in Varzi, in the Oltrepò Pavese. Admission to every event is free, subject to availability. The festival is conceived and artistically directed by VarziArte (info: varziarte@virgilio.it, www.varziarte.it), with the support and collaboration of Fondazione Monte di Lombardia and the contribution of Regione Lombardia, under the patronage of the City of Varzi, and is part of the I Borghi più belli d'Italia (The Most Beautiful Villages of Italy) network.
