Bizzarro Festival

Contemporary circus arrives in Casatenovo

Bizzarro Festival is one of the most original events in Brianza's spring calendar. Every year, at the end of May, Parco Vivo in Casatenovo, in the province of Lecco, dresses up for a party and welcomes circus companies from all over Europe. Under the big top and in the open-air arena, contemporary circus shows unfold, blending aerial acrobatics, physical theatre, juggling, and high-altitude performances.

A festival for all ages

What makes Bizzarro Festival special is its welcoming and family-friendly dimension. It's not just about watching shows: the park becomes a sprawling village with a street food area, workshop zone, children's play area, chill-out space, and bar. The little ones can try their hand at circus workshops, while evenings feature DJ sets and live concerts that extend the celebration late into the night.

Who's behind it

The event is organised by Spazio Bizzarro together with Play Juggling, with artistic direction by Nicola Bruni. Over the years, the festival has grown to become a benchmark for contemporary circus in northern Italy, attracting artists from Brazil, Germany, Spain, and Italy.

Why it's worth it

In a region like Brianza, where village fairs and patronal feasts tell traditional stories, Bizzarro Festival brings a breath of contemporaneity and wonder. It's an opportunity to discover a refined and poetic artistic language, that of the nouveau cirque, in a green setting just a stone's throw from home. Casatenovo, a municipality in the Province of Lecco bordering Monza's Brianza, thus becomes the Italian capital of amazement for a few days.