Villa Massimo ends Electric Campfire festival after 10 years

After a decade, the Electric Campfire electronic music festival held at Villa Massimo in Rome concluded its final edition on September 8. Director Joachim Blüher announced the festival's end, citing a strategic shift toward smaller, more focused events. The decision aligns with Villa Massimo's broader reduction of public events, as seen in the scaled-back Festa dell'Estate in June. Blüher emphasized that the festival's success—often selling out within minutes—was no longer the goal; instead, the institution aims to host intimate gatherings, such as artist studio presentations that began last year. Electric Campfire will return in a reduced, revamped format next year. The festival was originally launched when Rome's electronic scene had few competitors, notably Dissonanze, but now faces numerous rivals like Spring Attitude and Just Music Festival.