Geonight – Colorful Geographies: The Heritage of Rive Between Mural Art and Rural Landscapes

The Night of Geography comes to Rive

Every spring, Geonight (the International Night of Geography) lights up dozens of cities worldwide with tours, urban walks, workshops, and meetings that explore local territories through the tools and perspective of geography. Internationally promoted by EUGEO and the International Geographical Union, the initiative involves dozens of events across Italy every year. In 2026, the network reached Rive, a small municipality in the Province of Vercelli, in the heart of the Piedmontese rice-growing region.

Colorful Geographies: Mural Art and Rural Landscapes

The event in Rive has a title that perfectly captures its spirit: Colorful Geographies, the heritage of Rive between mural art and rural landscapes. The experience is a free guided tour that unites two souls of the village: on one hand, the famous murals of the DeRive – Public art in rural spaces project, and on the other, the rice fields that surround the town and have shaped its life, economy, and landscape for centuries. The walk begins in Piazza Vittorio Veneto, in the town center, winding through the streets before reaching a rice paddy, where visitors can observe the environment that has made this part of the Po Valley famous.

The DeRive Project: A Painted Village

Since 2020, the Municipality of Rive has promoted the creation of street art on the facades of village houses through the DeRive – Public art in rural spaces project. Every year, around September, the town is enriched with new murals by artists from all over the world—works that reinterpret the farming memory, identity, and rural traditions of the Vercelli area. Today, the village boasts about 25 murals scattered throughout its streets, transforming Rive into a small open-air art gallery, which has also attracted the attention of the FAI (National Trust of Italy) and local tourism boards.

Geography, Community, and Territory

The Geonight in Rive is born from the collaboration between the University of Eastern Piedmont, the Municipality of Rive, and the local Festival Committee: a concrete example of how geographical research can engage with a community and its landscape. The tour helps reveal the deep connection between public art and the rice field environment, between water, cultivated land, and village life. It is an opportunity to discover a lesser-known corner of Piedmont, far from major tourist circuits but rich in history, identity, and color.

An Afternoon for Everyone

The event is designed for families, art and geography enthusiasts, curious travelers, and residents. Participation is free and takes place entirely outdoors: comfortable shoes are recommended for the walk between the town center and the rice fields. Before the tour, it is possible to join an optional lunch featuring local specialties, organized by the Municipality and the Festival Committee.