Emergency Festival
Three days of meetings, music, and civic engagement in the squares of Reggio Emilia
About Emergency Festival
A festival that brings rights to the square
Every early September, the historic center of Reggio Emilia becomes the heart of the Emergency Festival, an event that focuses on peace, human rights, and the idea of a more just and welcoming society. Founded in 2021, the festival is organized by EMERGENCY in close collaboration with the Municipality of Reggio Emilia and with the patronage of the Emilia-Romagna Region, and has grown to become a benchmark event for those who believe in civic engagement and solidarity.
Squares as spaces for dialogue
For three days, the squares and courtyards of Reggio Emilia's center—from Piazza Prampolini to Piazza San Prospero, from historic cloisters to cultural palaces—fill with voices, words, and music. It is a widespread festival that invites you to stroll from one meeting to another, to stop and listen to a testimony from the field, to visit an exhibition, or to enjoy a concert under the stars. The theme changes every year, but the common thread remains the same: to critically observe the present and imagine a more humane future.
A multidisciplinary program
The Emergency Festival intertwines different languages to engage a broad audience of all ages. Among the usual offerings are:
- Meetings and debates with writers, journalists, philosophers, and prominent figures of current events;
- Testimonies from EMERGENCY operators, who share their humanitarian work in the field;
- Photographic exhibitions dedicated to the themes of war, rights, and care;
- Concerts, theatrical performances, and film screenings;
- Creative workshops and activities designed for children, young people, and families.
A free event open to all
One of the event's distinctive features is its free admission: all events are open access, in line with EMERGENCY's spirit and the idea of culture accessible to anyone. For the city of Reggio Emilia and its Province, the festival represents an annual moment of collective participation, capable of filling the historic center with people, reflections, and hope. An event that makes Emilia-Romagna a meeting point between humanitarian commitment and cultural life.
Emergency Festival — edition 2026
From September 4 to 6, 2026, the Emergency Festival returns to Reggio Emilia for its sixth edition, dedicated to the theme of 'Courage', understood as a concrete, daily choice. As the organizers explain, it is 'the courage of those who care under bombs, of those who cross borders to survive, of those who object to war, of those who defend everyone's rights by taking a stand'. The squares of the historic center will host three days of meetings, debates, a photographic exhibition, music, and performances, with the participation of journalists, philosophers, writers, artists, and EMERGENCY operators. The event is organized by EMERGENCY together with the Municipality of Reggio Emilia.
Programme Emergency Festival 2026
The detailed program for the sixth edition, including the schedule of meetings, guests, and times, will be announced in the weeks preceding the event on the official EMERGENCY website and on the channels of the Municipality of Reggio Emilia.
As in previous editions, meetings and debates with journalists, writers, philosophers, and artists are planned, along with testimonies from EMERGENCY humanitarian operators, a photographic exhibition, concerts, shows, and activities for families, spread across the squares of Reggio Emilia's historic center.
Highlights Emergency Festival 2026
2026 Theme: 'Courage'. Three days of meetings, photographic exhibition, music, and performances in the squares of the historic center, featuring journalists, philosophers, writers, artists, and EMERGENCY operators.
Prices Emergency Festival 2026
Practical information — Emergency Festival
Getting there
Reggio Emilia is easily reachable by train: the central station is on the Milan-Bologna line, while the Mediopadana high-speed station is served by high-speed trains. By car, the reference highway exit is Reggio Emilia on the A1. The festival takes place in the historic center, largely pedestrianized and reachable on foot from the station.
Tickets
All events at the Emergency Festival are free and open access. For some high-demand events, it is advisable to arrive early to find a seat.
Information
Detailed program and updates on the official EMERGENCY website and on the channels of the Municipality of Reggio Emilia.
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Where does it take place — Emergency Festival
Piazze del centro storico