«Iapri» means open up.
It's an imperative in Sicilian dialect, an invitation to lean out, to climb up, to pause and share a moment together. Every summer the balconies of the village turn into stages: singers and performers play leaning straight out from the residents' homes, giving life to a diffuse show that draws in the whole community.
«In Naso, the balconies of the old town take the stage.»
— ANSA, July 2022
From the street to the balconies
Iapri fest was born in 2022 as the evolution of the Naskers Festival: street music climbs one floor up and finds a new dimension among the balconies, windows and railings of the village.
From its very first edition the success was extraordinary. The press told of a village «literally invaded» by visitors, with accommodation sold out for three days straight.
The idea comes from a simple, everyday gesture: opening a balcony on a summer evening. From there a festival takes shape that crosses the traditional line between artist and audience, between stage and square. There is no sharp separation nor a single centre of the scene: the artists lean out from the houses, the audience moves through alleys and courtyards, and the whole village turns into a diffuse stage.
Architecture, residents, visitors and music all become part of the same story. The village is not merely the backdrop of the event, but a living organism that welcomes, takes part and plays together with its guests, turning every corner into a place of encounter and sharing.
Who leaned out
Four editions, steady growth: Lello Analfino andShakalab at the debut; Roy Paci andAnastasio in 2023; Willie Peyote andBrusco in 2024; and in 2025 — the all-women edition«Affacciati bedda» — Ditonellapiaga,Casadilego, Francamente,Martina Attili and Jo Squillo.
Alongside the headliners, every year: Sicilian folk, jazz, blues, songwriters, brass bands and DJ sets —re-open the memories →
Crops and cultures
Iapri fest is not only music, but also a chance to tell and celebrate the traditions of the territory.
Starting with Iapri Food, an itinerary of flavours between the Food Village in piazza Roma and the Food Points scattered across the old town, all the way to the art of Naso majolica, the living statues, the artisan markets and the workshops for the little ones.
A weave of flavours, knowledge, arts and traditions that celebrates the identity of the territory and creates an authentic dialogue between material culture, contemporary creativity and the life of the community.
The village
Naso sits on a hilltop in the Nebrodi mountains, province of Messina, gazing at the Aeolian Islands: on clear evenings you can count all seven from the lookouts. An old town of alleys, stairways and wrought-iron balconies — the perfect stage, built centuries before the festival.
The festival is promoted by the Municipality of Nasoand grows edition after edition together with the village that hosts it.How far are you from the balcony? →