Burattini alle Serre - 21st Puppet Theatre Festival

A tradition of puppet theatre near Turin

Now in its 21st edition, Burattini alle Serre is one of the most anticipated summer events for families in Grugliasco and the Turin metropolitan area. The festival takes place at the Parco Culturale Le Serre, on Via Tiziano Lanza, a reclaimed green space that transforms every summer into an open-air stage dedicated to puppet theatre. The 2026 edition runs from June 13th to July 11th, with free admission to all events.

The 2026 Program

The lineup showcases all forms of puppet theatre: string marionettes, traditional puppets, shadow theatre, black light theatre, and object theatre, alongside contemporary circus. Announced shows include Il lupo e la gallinella, il gigante e la strega by the Kirby Teatro company, Ham ham Hamlet by the Accademia Teatrale Mario Brusa, traditional puppets from the Compagnia Burattini Aldrighi, and contemporary puppet theatre performances by Teatri Mobili.

• International guests: The Teatrino Don Eloy, a Colombian company from Bogotá, brings the show El burrito que queria cantar to Grugliasco (Sunday, June 28th).
• Contemporary circus: Collaboration with the Fondazione Cirko Vertigo and the Sul Filo del Circo festival enriches the program with juggling and circus arts.
• EuroPuppet 2026: The festival engages with the traveling EuroPuppet event, which also visits the Valsesia and Vercelli areas, featuring the Grugliasco stop of Piccole storie in TekniColor by the Teatro dei Colori of Avezzano (Sunday, July 5th).

The Pinocchio exhibition

The heart of the 2026 edition is the exhibition «Thinking of Pinocchio and…», hosted at the Museo Gianduja and curated by Alfonso Cipolla: twenty-four micro-installations celebrating the bicentenary of the birth of Carlo Collodi, father of the famous puppet. A tribute to the iconic character of Italian puppet theatre, blending historical memory with contemporary creativity.

An event for families

Promoted by the Institute for Marionette Heritage and Popular Theatre with the support of the City of Grugliasco, in collaboration with the Accademia Teatrale «Mario Brusa», the Fondazione Cirko Vertigo, and the Cooperativa Paradigma, the festival confirms Grugliasco's vocation as a hub for puppet theatre in Piedmont. The shows, suitable for children and adults, take place in the park's setting, among lawns and ancient greenhouses, in a relaxed atmosphere that makes Burattini alle Serre a classic of the Turin province summer.