(Photo Credit: Flickr)

Meet us in Piazza di San Giovanni in Laterano for the historic Roman tradition that draws crowds from all over the country: the 26^th annual May 1^st Labor Day Concert in Rome!

May 1^st marks the internationally celebrated Labor Day, and in Rome this means Piazza San Giovanni in Laterano in Rome will be filled with thousands of spectators from all over Italy to attend the 26th annual Labor Day concert, or Concerto del Primo Maggio 2016 in Italian.

The concert which takes place in the sprawling and historically significant piazza at the entrance of Basilica di San Giovanni di Laterano – one of the four Papal Basilicas in Rome that opened it’s Holy Doors for Jubilee 2016 – features an international cadre of musical acts, including confirmed performances by the Britrock band Skunk Anansie, the English electronica band Asian Dub Foundation, Dubioza Kolektiv the seven-member band hailing from Bosnia, the Celtic-influenced Italian folk band Modena City Ramblers who will perform with the brass band from the Balkans Fanfare Tirana, the locally Roman indie band TheGiornalisti, and singer-songwriter and rapper from Salerno Coez. More singers and performances will be announced as they are confirmed leading up to the highly anticipated and nationally broadcast concert in Rome.

(Photo Credit: Wikimedia)

The May 1^st Concert in Rome first took place in 1990, organized by Italy’s three largest trade unions, CGIL, CISL, and UIL along with the support of the city of Rome, always positioned in the prestigious piazza in front of Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano. The entire concert is also available online through streaming on Rai 3.

The concert is organized in the spirit of supporting emerging and independent artists, which led to the 1MFestival, a 3-phase musical contest that takes place in the weeks leading up to the Labor Day concert where spectators and an official jury vote to select the best among numerous young artists. The three finalists perform live at the May 1^st Concert where the audience votes to select the winner.

Practical Information

The annual concert is free with performances from 3pm until midnight. Expect the roads around the piazza and Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano to be closed off for the crowds, but the Metro A stop San Giovanni is conveniently located just steps away from the piazza. Keep in mind the metro closes at 11:30pm on Sundays. For updates in English on the public transportation in Rome check here.

For the most up-to-date information regarding the list of artists and general information, click here to visit the official website for the Concerto del Primo Maggio.

How do you plan to celebrate Labor Day on May 1^st in Rome? Share with us your ideas in the comments below.