MolFest 2025: Molfetta celebrates Pop Culture in the name of Freedom

Molfetta (BA) is preparing to welcome the new edition of MolFest, the Pop Culture festival, scheduled for June 27, 28 and 29, 2025. The event, promoted by the Municipality of Molfetta and organized by LEG Live Emotion Group, focuses on the theme of "Freedom", understood as individual expression in collective respect . After the success of the first edition, MolFest 2025 aims to further expand its scope, involving an increasingly large and varied audience.

One of the festival's distinctive features is the strong participation of local associations and schools of all levels. The collaboration with local businesses and the attention to the " Hero Zone ", dedicated to those who work for the common good, underline the spirit of an event " designed by the city for the city ". MolFest is configured as an inclusive space, where the community unites under the banner of pop culture .

The official poster is signed by the internationally renowned illustrator Paolo Barbieri , who has collaborated with authors such as George RR Martin and Umberto Eco. The inauguration of the festival is scheduled for June 27 at 6:00 pm with the opening of the exhibition of the maestro Barbieri at the Museum - Art Gallery of the Episcopal Seminary. Among the guests of honor is also the maestro Maurizio Manzieri, a leading figure in the panorama of world illustration .

The festival program includes several notable guests, including Giorgio Vanni and I Figli di Goku with Special Guest Ammiraglio Max, Oliver Onions with ANIMEniacs Corp, rapper and singer-songwriter Dargen D'Amico, and comedian Ubaldo Pantani. Also expected are animation masters Katsumi Ono and Gen Sato from Japan . Renato Novara, known for voicing Tsubasa Ozora in "Captain Tsubasa - Junior Youth Arc," will also be there.

MolFest also dedicates ample space to Board Games, hosting Play – Festival del Gioco , and to the videogame universe, thanks to the collaboration with brands such as Riot Games, Qlash, PG Esports and ProGaming Italia . The Artist Alley, curated by Zeth Castle, will offer a space dedicated to art, comics and illustration, with the participation of numerous artists. The Movie Zone will offer talks and meetings focused on the interconnections between cinema, TV series, videogames, comics and anime. Comics&Science, a series by CNR Edizioni, will present the interactive format Freestory, with the participation of Gabriele Peddes and Walter Leoni.

Among the new features of this edition are the Cantieri Navali area, with activities inspired by the films of Bud Spencer and Terence Hill, and the Ospedaletto dei Crociati, dedicated to the Magic Coast . There will also be Cosplay Associations, with parades and the traditional Cosplay Contest. The festival will also welcome the latest trends in the K-Pop universe, thanks to the participation of KST Show Time. Radio Norba will be the official Main Media Partner of the event. MolFest will also host important names in Italian journalism, including Sergio De Nicola, Maurizio Di Fazio, Fabrizio Basso and Attilio Romita.

The comment of the Municipal Administration : “ We are almost there. Molfest is coming back. And with it come the smiles, the hands raised to the sky, the colors that invade the streets, the music that unites, the words that tell stories, cultures, dreams. We are preparing to experience a new, highly anticipated edition of the pop culture and inclusion festival, an event that is not just a show, but is meeting, sharing, freedom. Molfetta becomes a stage of emotions. The streets of the city open up to welcome everyone: those who come from near, those who come from far away, those who come out of curiosity and those who already know that, at Molfest, you can breathe something unique. It is the magic of a community that finds itself and recognizes itself, in diversity, in creativity, in the collective embrace of art and humanity. Last year we were 70 thousand. Seventy thousand hearts that beat together for unforgettable days. This year, everything tells us that we will be even more. Because when something is born from the sincere desire to unite and make everyone feel part of the same dream, grows, multiplies, overwhelms. This new edition will be even more impressive, even more fun, even more engaging. A vortex of events, performances, meetings, sounds and visions that will surprise us, make us reflect, laugh, get excited. Because Molfest is not just a festival, it is an experience to be lived with every Official Radio Partner Radio Norba MolFest is a festival of the CFC circuit sense, with every part of itself. So let's see each other where energy is contagious and enthusiasm becomes home: at Molfest ”.

" The construction of a festival like MolFest is for us much more than a project: it is a collective ritual, a choral journey that reminds us how powerful the union of visions, skills, dreams is. ", say Tania Ferri, Elisabetta De Luca and Sandro Giacomelli, founding members of LEG, and continue : " It is a moment in which creative energy is released, ideas meet and transform into experiences capable of igniting authentic emotions. MolFest is not just planning and logistics: it is an act of love towards the territory, it is passion that becomes concrete, it is culture that intertwines with people's lives. Behind every choice, every meeting, every detail, there is a community that works with dedication and shared spirit. There are us, of course, but above all there are the many associations, citizens, artists, volunteers, who with generosity and talent have decided to be there. It is a living network, that breathes with the city and for the city, united by the desire to enhance its potential, to give it a voice through the language of art, music, innovation and pop culture. MolFest is the warmth of the sun that keeps us united, it is the gaze towards the sea, vast and open, that inspires us to dream big and to build an event for everyone together. It is a way to give back to the city what it gives us every day: beauty, hospitality, creativity. Our most sincere thanks go to all the people who are sharing this journey with us, to the Associations, to the schools, to the CFC and LEG working group, to the Municipal Administration and the Regional Administration, to the artists, to the partners, to the city that welcomes us. Together we are giving shape to something special: a festival that wants to surprise, involve, excite. A festival that comes from the heart and speaks to the heart .

With great satisfaction, the Artistic Director Gianluca Del Carlo reports that : “ Many point to me as the creator of Molfest, but the truth is that I found myself inside it, almost enraptured by its spirit. I listened to the ancient stones of Molfetta whisper stories of the sea, of people and of a magic that blooms once a year: Molfest. It is not a simple fair, not a tournament: it is the living intertwining of the souls of the city, a vibrant tapestry of shared traditions, knowledge and dreams. It is said that the heart of Molfest is born from the meeting of kindred spirits, an alchemical event where, like two precious essences, they mix, releasing a spark of novelty that transforms and enriches both. This is the true soul of the festival: a portal open to every Molfettese and to anyone who wants to join, to immerse themselves in days of pure sharing and joy. And so, as ancient master caulkers carefully shape the ship for the journey, we, the creators of this magic, we weave the warp and the Molfest plot, Official Radio Partner Radio Norba MolFest is a festival of the CFC circuit animated by the desire to celebrate with old friends and new travel companions. At the beating heart of the festival stands the 'Hero Zone': not warriors in armor, but those who with nobility of soul and silent courage dedicate their lives to the common good. Their stories intertwine, creating an invisible but strong bond, a golden thread that unites our community. Legend has it that, like an enchanted melody in the starry night, the party explodes into music, in fleeting but profound encounters, in unique activities that dance in the air. For three days, joy will be our guide, a magical feeling that we hope will envelop every heart, transforming the ordinary into a daydream. If you don't believe us, come and visit us. You will find us there, united by the desire to tell a story that smells of home, of simplicity, a story that tastes of bread and jam .

MolFest 2025 expands over a surface of 145,000 m2, with particular attention to the enhancement of the territory and the involvement of local associations . The Sala dei Templari will host the ESPORT area , in collaboration with Riot Games and Qlash, with tournaments and gaming stations. The numerous associations and local entities will give life to a program full of initiatives related to inclusion, well-being, entertainment, art, sport, music, gaming and theater. Local businesses will actively participate in the event, theming their activities.

The 2025 edition promises to be even more engaging, with an expanded exhibitor area, a renewed Games Area with the participation of Play – Festival del Gioco, and new initiatives dedicated to board games. The Artist Alley, set up at Banchina San Domenico, will host artists from Puglia and other regions of Italy. The Movie Zone will explore the interconnections between the different media of pop culture, with the participation of numerous guests. Comics&Science will present the Freestory format, celebrating the union between science and comics.