Dialect Poetry Competition

An evening of words in the Giulianese dialect

The Dialect Poetry Competition in Giuliano di Roma, located in the province of Frosinone in Lazio, is one of the town's most cherished summer events. It is not a grand spectacle or a massive festival; rather, it is a community evening where residents gather in the square to hear their local language transformed into verse. For years, the event has been organized by the Pro Loco Giuliano di Roma, in collaboration with the municipal administration, and has now surpassed its fourteenth edition.

How the competition works

The rules are straightforward and have remained largely unchanged over time. The poems submitted must be unpublished—meaning never before released—and must be written in the Giulianese dialect. The theme is open: subjects range from childhood memories to local satire, from nostalgia for lost trades to affectionate tales of the village's landmarks. A dedicated jury of experts evaluates the eligibility of the texts and determines the final rankings.

• Strictly unpublished compositions
• Mandatory language: Giulianese dialect
• Open theme, no stated length restrictions
• Awards for the top three finishers
• Public reading of the texts by the authors themselves

The atmosphere in Piazza Santa Maria Maggiore

The event takes place outdoors in Piazza Santa Maria Maggiore, the heart of the historic center, starting in the late evening—documented editions have begun at 9:30 PM. Authors take the stage in turn to read their verses before their fellow citizens; between readings, young musicians from the Dimensione Musica association provide short musical interludes that lighten the pace of the evening. At the end, the Pro Loco announces the winners.

Participants do not find a distant stage and an anonymous audience, but rather a square where almost everyone knows each other: this is what makes the competition a moment of authentic conviviality rather than a literary competition in the strict sense.

Dialect as heritage

In the words of the Pro Loco itself, the Giulianese language is defined as a precious glue for identity: an intangible heritage at risk of disappearing with the older generations, which the competition helps to preserve in writing. Each year, the event thus produces a small corpus of dialect texts, useful well beyond the awards night.

The Pro Loco and the summer calendar

The Pro Loco Giuliano di Roma, founded in July 1975, celebrated its fiftieth anniversary in the summer of 2025, retracing the history of the organization with the presidents who have served over time. The Dialect Poetry Competition is part of a summer calendar that includes other traditional town events, such as the Sagra dugli maccaruni cugli feri, the Sagra dullo callarosto i dull'acquata, the historical re-enactment linked to the passage of Pope Innocent III, and the Iocavit Buburbando tournament.

What to see in Giuliano di Roma

Visitors arriving for the evening can take the opportunity to explore the village: the historic center, the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore which gives the square its name, the Madre Caterina Troiani hall housed in an old mill, and the MUVE, the town museum. Giuliano di Roma is located on the slopes of the Lepini Mountains, in a part of the Ciociaria region where hilltop villages follow one another in close proximity.

An event to follow year by year

Dates are not announced far in advance: the Pro Loco typically publishes the summer program just a few weeks beforehand via social media channels and local press. Those wishing to participate as authors or simply attend the evening should keep an eye on the association's communications throughout the summer.