Clown Republic Festival – in_clu_clo

The Clown Republic Festival in Roccarainola

The Clown Republic Festival – in_clu_clo is the event that, in June 2026, transformed Roccarainola, a town in the Nola area of the Metropolitan City of Naples, into a small capital of imagination and humanity. Three days, from June 19 to 21, suspended between art, theater, music, clowning, and social reflection, set in the symbolic time leading up to the summer solstice. The venue is the new Paraislandia Playground, a facility that has already become a landmark in Roccarainola for family and youth events.

A name that says it all: in_clu_clo

The title chosen by the organizers is more than just a clever play on words. in_clu_clo brings together three keywords: inclusion, clown, and collectivity. The festival was born from the meeting of diverse artistic sensibilities and the desire to build an authentic space for inclusion, where the clown is not just a theatrical figure but a true human language: a tool capable of breaking down barriers, creating bonds, and restoring value to emotions. It is a perspective that brings this Campanian event closer to the great European tradition of popular comic theater, while maintaining a strong local identity.

The circus tent, the beating heart of the event

The nerve center of the event is the large circus tent set up in the facility's garden. Under the tent, workshops, artistic activities, and educational moments take place: a protected space where children, teenagers, and adults can experience the techniques of clowning, theatrical play, and body expression firsthand. Every evening, at 9:20 PM, the audience watches a recap of the day's program, in a sort of collective synthesis that captures the essence of the journey taken.

The artists and the popular strength of 'E Zezi

The artistic direction is entrusted to Crescenzo Zomiddo and Claudia Cantone. The lineup brings together local and national artists:

• Nina Borrelli
• Martin De Simone
• Nunzio Della Marca
• Andrea Di Cosimo
• Anita Luna
• Amedeo Palumbo
• Veronica Vecchione

Opening and closing the festival is the popular and theatrical power of 'E Zezi – Gruppo Operaio, a historic group of Campanian folk music, who starred in the opening show and the final concert. Their presence connects the festival to the working-class and peasant memory of the Nola and Vesuvius area, with a repertoire that blends tammurriate, social singing, and street theater.

Clown therapy, the third sector, and social commitment

Alongside the performances and the evening dedicated to cabaret and clowning, the festival dedicates a specific space to discussion: a roundtable on the third sector and the importance of clown therapy, featuring associations and volunteer groups that have been bringing the red nose into hospitals and educational paths for years. The final Sunday includes a closing screening and the presentation of the Clown Republic Awards to the individuals, associations, and organizations that contributed to the birth of the event.

Roccarainola, Campania, and the value of a community festival

Roccarainola is a hillside and lowland town in the Neapolitan hinterland, in Campania, a short distance from Nola and the Baianese area. Hosting a festival of this nature means, for the Municipality, putting themes like disability, accessibility, and participation at the center, without sacrificing the festive spirit. The event enjoys the patronage of the Municipality of Roccarainola and the support of local businesses, including Muto Italo Cereria and Santorelli Italian Family Company Since 1925.

Why it's worth following

Those looking for a different kind of Campanian summer festival will find a rare formula here: circus arts and comic theater, folk music, workshops for children, and explicit social reflection, all in one place and with an entry policy designed for families. A young event, born from the experience of June 2, 2025, which in 2026 took the full form of a three-day festival: it is likely that future editions will continue to grow, and it is worth keeping an eye on.