Festival of Popular Narratives

The Festival of Popular Narratives in Civitaretenga

The Festival of Popular Narratives is a cultural festival held in Civitaretenga, a small hamlet in the municipality of Navelli, in the province of L'Aquila, in the heart of Abruzzo. The event transforms the 17th-century Convent of Sant'Antonio into a space for the intersection of literature, music, urban art, collective memory, and participation. Conceived and curated by the literary magazine TerraNullius, which has been exploring the relationship between narratives and civilization for over two decades, the festival is not an isolated event but, as founder Luca Moretti likes to repeat, "a continuous path with the community."

A village that tells stories: the Village of Stamps

Civitaretenga stands at an altitude of about 850 meters on the Navelli plateau, in a strategic position between L'Aquila and Sulmona. Despite the damage from the earthquakes of 1703 and 2009, the village has preserved its original architectural appearance. Over the years, it has become famous as the "Village of Stamps": thanks to the numerous murals created with the a.DNA association, its houses have been transformed into an open-air street art museum. Walking through the alleys, you will encounter works dedicated to writers and local stories, including a mural paying homage to the Italian-American writer Pietro di Donato.

The Program

Each edition offers a rich calendar that combines different languages:

• Readings and literary presentations with nationally renowned authors;
• Evening storytelling performances with musical accompaniment;
• Workshops and activities for children and families;
• Narrative walks and nature tours to discover the plateau;
• Street art, poetry slams, drum circles, and concerts;
• Tastings of typical local products, starting with the famous Navelli saffron.

Admission is free, and events are concentrated in the late afternoon and evening, when the convent and the village alleys come alive with the public.

Between tradition and the future of villages

The Festival of Popular Narratives is much more than a literary review: it is a cultural regeneration project that focuses on the future of small Abruzzo villages, the enhancement of popular memory, and the role of communities as guardians of stories. The convent also houses a guesthouse managed by the Oro Rosso Community Cooperative, which produces the precious saffron of the plateau. For those visiting the province of L'Aquila in the summer, the festival is an authentic opportunity to discover a vibrant and imaginative inland Abruzzo.