Appennino Photo Festival
The nature photography festival of the Sibillini Mountains
About Appennino Photo Festival
A festival that heals the territory through photography
The Appennino Photo Festival is a widespread event dedicated to nature and landscape photography that animates the villages of the Macerata Province hinterland every year, in the heart of Marche and at the foot of the Sibillini Mountains. Founded in 2019 on the initiative of the Ph3 association and its collective Photonica3 (seven photographers from Macerata), the festival has grown to become a nationally recognized event for lovers of images and mountains.
Camporotondo di Fiastrone, a stone village within castle walls
Camporotondo di Fiastrone, a small Municipality in the Province of Macerata, is one of the six centers hosting the festival along with Belforte del Chienti, Caldarola, Cessapalombo, Serrapetrona, and Tolentino. The village preserves the ancient restored castle walls, the Church of the Conception, and the convent of Colfano: a secluded and evocative setting where photographic exhibitions dialogue with the stone and the surrounding Apennine landscape.
The 2026 theme: "Regenerate. Where the journey heals"
The seventh edition revolves around the theme "Regenerate. Where the journey heals", with green as the symbolic color. Artistic Director Stefano Ciocchetti summarizes it as follows: regenerating means rebuilding, preserving memory, and transforming wounds into opportunities. The reference is also to the Franciscan Year and the journeys of rebirth that cross a territory deeply marked by the 2016 earthquake. Photography here becomes a tool for redemption and storytelling, capable of shining a spotlight on a fragile and beautiful Apennine region.
What to experience during the festival
- Widespread photographic exhibitions in the villages, featuring Italian and international artists
- Workshops and photographic walks immersed in the nature of the Sibillini
- Meetings and talks with photographers, authors, and guests from the environmental culture world
- International photography awards such as Asferico, IBC Photo Award, and Impressum
- The establishment of a School of Nature Photography in the former convent of Belforte del Chienti
The 2026 edition is divided into three phases: the opening with the retrospective exhibition "Nel segno della luce" by the Photonica3 collective at Forte Malatesta in Ascoli Piceno (April), the summer core of the summer weeks between late June and early July, and an autumn session linked to the Impressum competition. For those who love nature, mountains, and great photography, the Appennino Photo Festival is a unique opportunity to discover the Sibillini with a new perspective.
Appennino Photo Festival — edition 2026
The seventh edition in 2026 of the Appennino Photo Festival is divided into three phases spread throughout the year and across the six Municipalities of the Macerata area (Camporotondo di Fiastrone, Belforte del Chienti, Caldarola, Cessapalombo, Serrapetrona, Tolentino). The chosen theme, "Regenerate. Where the journey heals", links the Franciscan Year of journeys with the redemption of the Sibillini territory after the 2016 earthquake.
The artistic director is Stefano Ciocchetti. Among the new features of this edition is the launch of a School of Nature Photography in the former convent of Belforte del Chienti, funded as part of NextAppennino.
Programme Appennino Photo Festival 2026
Opening — April 2, 2026 (Ascoli Piceno)
- Inauguration of the retrospective exhibition "Nel segno della luce" by the collective Photonica3 at the Forte Malatesta in Ascoli Piceno, open throughout April.
Summer weeks — June 25-28 and July 2-5, 2026
The summer core of the festival, spread across the six Municipalities of the Macerata area. Among the announced events:
- Thursday, June 25 — Community opening evening with storyteller Daniele Felli
- Friday, June 26 — "Marte Bianco", Marco Buttu talks about expeditions in Antarctica
- Saturday, June 27 — "Racconti di convivenza" (Stories of coexistence), meetings with photographers Gianluca Damiani, Michel Giaccaglia, and Francesco Visintin
The program for the two weeks includes: photographic exhibitions in the villages (including Camporotondo di Fiastrone), workshops and photographic walks in the Sibillini Mountains, meetings with authors, and the awards ceremony for the international Asferico and IBC Photo Award competitions. Among the announced guests and speakers are Alessandro Curti, Roberto Marchegiani, Elisa Lauzana, and Irene Lazzarin.
Among the artists for the 2026 edition: Emiliano Cribari (creator of the festival's poster), Alessandro Bergamini, and Cinzia Canneri, as well as the seven photographers from the Photonica3 collective. The detailed schedule with precise times and venues is published on the official website appenninofotofestival.com.
Autumn session — Autumn 2026
- New exhibitions and in-depth discussions related to the Impressum competition.
The detailed schedule with precise times and venues for individual exhibitions in the villages will be published on the official website appenninofotofestival.com.
Highlights Appennino Photo Festival 2026
Prices Appennino Photo Festival 2026
Practical information — Appennino Photo Festival
How to get there
Camporotondo di Fiastrone can be reached by car from the Tolentino exit of the SS77 Val di Chienti expressway, continuing towards the Sibillini hinterland. The nearest train station is Tolentino, on the Civitanova Marche-Fabriano line. Reference airport: Ancona-Falconara.
Venues and Municipalities
The festival is spread across six Municipalities in the Macerata area: Camporotondo di Fiastrone, Belforte del Chienti, Caldarola, Cessapalombo, Serrapetrona, and Tolentino. The exhibitions are held in spaces within the villages and in the historic centers of the participating Municipalities.
Information and tickets
Detailed program, venues, and access methods are published on the official website appenninofotofestival.com. For information on the Municipality of Camporotondo di Fiastrone: tel. +39 0733 907153.
Tips
Bring comfortable shoes for the photographic walks and clothing suitable for the mountains. The area offers farmhouses and scattered accommodations in the Sibillini villages.
Festival-goer photos
No photos yet. Share yours!
Share your photos
5 photos max, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)
Noticed an error or missing information?
Help us keep this listing up to date. Every proposal is verified by our team before publication.
Festival-goer reviews
No rating yet — be the first!
No comments yet. Be the first!
Were you there?
Share your experience with the community.
Where does it take place — Appennino Photo Festival
Borgo di Camporotondo di Fiastrone
Piazza San Marco 1, 62020 Camporotondo di Fiastrone