Barouf – Circus and Theatre Festival

Barouf: The circus returns to Danisinni

Barouf – Circus and Theatre Festival takes place at the Chapitô Danisinni, a circus tent set up within the social farm of the Danisinni district, in the heart of Palermo, Sicily. The festival's name comes from the French barouf, meaning 'to make a noise or a racket'—a title that reflects the joyful, grassroots spirit of a cultural initiative bringing contemporary circus to one of the city's historically most vulnerable, yet now most vibrant, neighborhoods.

A prelude to the May festival

Barouf was created as a prelude to the major circus festival in May (Chapifest), bringing the Chapitô to life during the spring with a series of live performances. The format features four shows spread across several weekends, alternating between contemporary circus and theatre, performed by both Italian and international companies. The shows are held under the big top and are designed for audiences of all ages, including families.

The Program

The edition features two weekends of performances:

• BOA by the company RasOterrA (CIE RasOterrA): a contemporary circus show weaving together bicycles, chainsaws, and acrobatic lifts, where technique blends with expressive research, balancing intensity and lightness.
• Circus Follies: an Italian-Argentinian company presenting extreme juggling, precarious balancing acts, and a touch of madness in a sequence of poetic acrobatics and skill-based numbers.

The Chapitô and the Danisinni District

The Chapitô Danisinni is located in Piazza Danisinni, just a short walk from Piazza Indipendenza, inside a welcoming social farm connected to the local parish. Over the years, it has become a cultural hub and a symbol of the neighborhood's regeneration—one of Palermo's most peripheral areas, where street art, circus, and theatre are used as tools for inclusion and social redemption. Attending a Barouf show is also a chance to discover this hidden corner of the Sicilian capital.

Spirit and Atmosphere

Here, the circus is a universal language: no words are needed to be moved by an acrobat or a juggler. The festival retains a popular and accessible soul, with a symbolic entry contribution and a special focus on families and children. Today, Barouf is one of the most distinctive events on the independent cultural scene in Palermo and Sicily.