Fosforo: the science festival
The European science festival that lights up Senigallia
About Fosforo
When science becomes a show
Every year, in May, Senigallia (province of Ancona, in the Marche region) transforms into a large open-air laboratory. Fosforo: the science festival is one of the most important scientific dissemination festivals in central Italy, recognized as a European Science Festival by the Eusea network. For four days, the squares, historic buildings, and symbolic places of the city of the velvet beach are filled with live experiments, shows, conferences, and activities for all ages, with hundreds of strictly free events.
A festival for the curious of all ages
Fosforo's strength lies in its ability to speak to everyone: children who get their hands on an experiment for the first time, schoolchildren, university students, and passionate adults. It ranges from physics to astronomy, from biology to technology, from mathematics to the philosophy of the mind, always with an interactive and fun approach. Dozens of communicators, scientists, and animators guide the public on a journey that combines rigor and wonder, spectacular demonstrations, and hands-on workshops.
Venues in the heart of the city
The festival takes place in the most evocative locations in Senigallia. The Vallato della Rocca Roveresca, the moat of the fifteenth-century fortress, becomes a large, spread-out stage with the Main Stage, the Green Stage, interactive stands from universities and research centers, and a large play area for families. The historic Teatro La Fenice hosts the most anticipated meetings every evening, gathered in the Fosforo Theatre section, while the Biblioteca Antonelliana, the Rotonda a Mare, and the EX Expo spaces complete the festival map.
A community project
Fosforo is organized by the Associazione Culturale Next ETS with the support of the Marche Region, the Municipality of Senigallia, and the Group of Senigallian Entrepreneurs (GIS), along with numerous partner universities and research institutions. It is an event that has grown edition after edition to become a highly anticipated event far beyond the borders of the Marche region, capable of attracting thousands of visitors to the city and transforming Senigallia, for a few days, into the Italian capital of dissemination.
Fosforo — edition 2026
The 16th edition of Fosforo took place in Senigallia from May 21 to 24, 2026, confirming itself as one of the largest scientific dissemination events in central Italy. The festival, recognized as a European Science Festival by the Eusea network, offered 222 free events dedicated to the theme "science, youth, and sustainability," with a particular focus on space, food, and the environment. For this edition, all outdoor programming was concentrated in the evocative Vallato della Rocca Roveresca, transformed into a large, spread-out stage.
Programme Fosforo 2026
Venues
- Vallato della Rocca Roveresca — Main Stage and Green Stage, interactive stands from universities and research centers, play area for families
- Teatro La Fenice — Fosforo Theatre section, with the most anticipated evening meetings (mandatory booking, limited seats)
- Biblioteca Antonelliana, Rotonda a Mare, and Expo EX
Main guests and talks
- Luca Perri, astrophysicist — "KOSMOS"
- Mattia Crivellini — "The AI Era", a conference-show on the geopolitics of artificial intelligence
- Paolo Clini (Polytechnic University of Marche) — archaeological secrets of Vitruvius' Basilica
- Giulia Gialdi (Vita-Salute San Raffaele University) — "Eco-emotions" and youth climate anxiety
- Michel Giaccaglia, nature photographer
- Hyde, Rubik's Cube magician, with his evening show
Exhibitions and workshops
- "World Unseen" photographic exhibition by Canon Italia
- Workshop on sugar and nutrition with Eridania
- Logic and puzzle workshops (Tetris, Rubik's Cube, Perplexus) with the Department of Mathematics of the University of Genoa and Spin Master
- Research presentations from the University of Camerino (UNICAM)
The complete program, with search options by date, stage, and category, was published on the festival's official website.
Highlights Fosforo 2026
Prices Fosforo 2026
Practical information — Fosforo
Getting there
Senigallia is located on the Adriatic coast, in the province of Ancona. It is served by its own train station on the Bologna-Ancona-Lecce line and by the Senigallia exit of the A14 motorway. The festival events are concentrated in the historic center and along the promenade, which are easily accessible on foot.
Admission
All Fosforo events are free. Some events, particularly the evening ones at the Teatro La Fenice, have limited seating and require online booking.
When
The festival typically takes place in May and lasts for four days.
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Where does it take place — Fosforo
Vallato della Rocca Roveresca, Teatro La Fenice, Rotonda a Mare