Cantamaggio

What is Cantamaggio

Cantamaggio is one of the most cherished events in the cultural calendar of Medicina, in the Metropolitan City of Bologna, in Emilia-Romagna. It is not a food festival or a concert: it is a large residential theatre workshop that every year, around May 1st, brings together about one hundred young people from various parts of Italy and Europe. For three days, these young people live and work together, guided by professionals from the world of theatre, music, and dance, to create a collective performance that is then offered free to the public.

A history that began in 1998

Cantamaggio was born in 1998 within the Errare Humanum Est project, a theatrical journey that over time has given rise to significant experiences in Medicina, such as the Icarus Workshop Group and the Medicinateatro project. The event is curated by La Baracca - Teatro Testoni Ragazzi, a historic Bolognese institution for theatre for new generations, in collaboration with the Municipality of Medicina. The artistic direction is entrusted to Bruno Cappagli, assisted over the years by a large team of artists and operators.

Three days of choral work

The experience is aimed at young people approximately between 14 and 30 years old and functions as a true residency: participants arrive, share everything, and immerse themselves in an intense creative process. Each edition revolves around a theme of great social relevance, explored through the language of theatre to reflect on the memory of what has been, but also on the present and the future. Over the years, Cantamaggio has dedicated its songs to civil themes such as peace, work, rights, and historical memory, always intertwining the popular tradition of the maggiaioli (May singers) with theatre of commitment and participation.

The 2026 edition: "Canto sconnesso"

From April 29th to May 1st, 2026, Cantamaggio returns with the title "Canto sconnesso" (Disconnected Song). As tradition dictates, the workshop days take place in various spaces in Medicina and conclude with the grand public performance at the Parco delle Mondine, the green heart of the town and a symbolic place linked to the memory of work in the rice fields. An opportunity to witness the result of a collective effort created in just a few days by one hundred young people, in an atmosphere of discussion and sharing.

An experience that goes beyond the performance

What makes Cantamaggio special is not just the final performance, but the collective process that precedes it: girls and boys from different backgrounds learn to know each other, to discuss, and to share ideas and languages. It is a project that combines education, art, and citizenship, and has made Medicina, a small town in the Bolognese plain, a reference point for youth and participatory theatre in Emilia-Romagna.