Festival delle Storie (Gallinaro leg)

A festival that wanders from village to village

Founded in 2009, the Festival delle Storie is now one of the most recognizable cultural events in southern Lazio. It has no fixed venue: every evening, it moves to a different town, lighting up a new square in the Valle di Comino, a natural amphitheater nestled between the province of Frosinone and the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park. Atina, Settefrati, Alvito, Castello di Alvito, San Donato Val di Comino, Picinisco, Casalvieri, and Gallinaro take turns hosting the storytelling for an entire week at the end of August.

The Gallinaro leg

Gallinaro is a small town in the province of Frosinone, in Lazio, perched on the hills overlooking the valley. For one evening, its historic center, with its stone alleys and intimate squares, transforms into an open-air theater: chairs arranged in front of a simple stage, a microphone, and guests taking turns to share books, research, trades, and memories. It is a simple, intentionally old-fashioned formula that has driven the festival's success and continues to draw large crowds from outside the region.

The 2026 theme: The Canticle of the Creatures

The 17th edition, scheduled from August 23 to 29, 2026, is dedicated to the Canticle of the Creatures by Saint Francis of Assisi, marking the 800th anniversary of the saint's death. Each day is assigned to an element from the Canticle: Brother Sun in San Donato, Sister Water in Gallinaro, the wind and clouds in Settefrati, Mother Earth in Casalvieri, the moon and stars in Picinisco, Brother Fire in Alvito, and Sister Death in Atina, where the festival concludes.

What to expect in the program

• Meetings with authors, book presentations, and dialogues with journalists and scholars.
• The evening segment Ti racconto una canzone (I'll tell you a song), featuring Edoardo Inglese, aka Chiave Inglese, who uncovers the hidden stories behind famous songs.
• Side workshops throughout the week: voice training, lakeside readings, and botanical walks in the valley.
• Musical moments and evening storytelling in the village squares.

Announced speakers for the 2026 edition across the seven towns include Antonio Pascale, Alessandro Aresu, Peppe Millanta, Valeria Tron, Fiorenza Taricone, Francesco Bozzi, Mauro Orletti, Veronica Nicosia, and Cettina Caliò, along with many other guests appearing throughout the week.

A festival without screens

One of the most distinctive features of the event is its declared rejection of technology: no screens, no streaming, no headphones. The festival simply asks you to sit down and listen, and suggests that more prepared spectators bring their own folding chairs. It is also a project of cultural preservation, bringing audiences and the spoken word to inland villages that have suffered from significant depopulation in recent decades.

Why visit Gallinaro

Attending the Gallinaro leg means combining a cultural evening with a day in one of the greenest corners of Lazio. The Valle di Comino is a land of springs, trails leading to the National Park, and local cheeses and Atina wines; in August, evening temperatures at nearly 600 meters above sea level are significantly more pleasant than those in the lowlands. The festival's artistic direction is led by journalist Vittorio Macioce.