Arriva il Barbatàngheri - International Festival of Puppet Theatre and Folk Arts

The Barbatàngheri in Molveno

Arriva il Barbatàngheri! is an international festival of puppet theatre and folk arts that transforms the villages of the Paganella Plateau, in the heart of Trentino, into open-air stages every summer. The event is promoted by the Intermunicipal Library of the Paganella Brenta Plateau (Biblioteche della Paganella) and involves the municipalities of Andalo, Molveno, Cavedago, Fai della Paganella, and Spormaggiore, in the province of Trento. In Molveno, the festival truly comes alive during the days dedicated to buskers and street performers, who animate the streets of the historic center overlooking the alpine lake of the same name.

A name rooted in tradition

The festival takes its name from the barbatàngheri, a wandering storyteller from Trentino tradition who would sell his stories to children by day and, in the evening, during the filò—the popular gathering in the stables—would tell tales to adults, often in exchange for nothing more than a glass of wine, a bowl of soup, and a place to sleep in the barn. The festival draws inspiration from this captivating figure, bringing the magic of storytelling and live performance back to the town squares.

Busker days in Molveno

On days dedicated to street performers, the streets and small squares of Molveno's historic center become intimate open-air theaters. A succession of jugglers, fire-eaters, musicians, mimes, puppeteers, and acrobats from Italy and various European countries perform daring, tender, and fun acts designed for audiences of all ages. The shows, almost always wordless, rely on gestures, music, and objects coming to life: a universal language that captivates both children and adults.

• Buskers and street theatre — in the historic center of Molveno, typically from morning until late afternoon
• Puppet theatre shows — puppets, marionettes, and shadow theatre, distributed across the various villages of the plateau
• International companies — artists from Italy and across Europe

A family-friendly event on the Paganella Plateau

The Barbatàngheri is one of the most anticipated events of the summer on the Paganella Plateau and a wonderful way to discover this corner of Trentino-Alto Adige through theater, nature, and folk tradition. The setting of Molveno, with its lake and the Brenta Dolomites in the background, makes the performance days even more enchanting. Many events, particularly the busker performances, are free of charge, reflecting the festival's inclusive and popular spirit.