Giufà Festival in the Belice Valley – Library Network

A widespread festival across Belice libraries

The Giufà Festival in the Belice Valley – Library Network is a traveling cultural event that brings life to municipal libraries in the heart of the Belice Valley, in the province of Trapani, Sicily. Rather than being concentrated in a single location, the festival is widespread, with stops rotating through various participating towns, from Salaparuta to Salemi, Partanna to Santa Ninfa, Calatafimi-Segesta to Gibellina, and even Campobello di Mazara, one of the event's historic venues.

The figure of Giufà

The festival takes its name from Giufà, the quintessential folk character of the Sicilian oral tradition—at once foolish and clever—who stars in tales passed down through generations and collected by the great ethnographer Giuseppe Pitrè. Through his stories and the research of Francesca Corrao, children discover the roots of the island's popular storytelling, including novellas, riddles, and contemporary picture books.

Animated readings and workshops for children

The heart of the event lies in read-aloud sessions and animated reading workshops aimed at children aged 6 to 11. In the welcoming spaces of municipal libraries, young participants are engaged in interactive activities that combine listening, play, and creativity, with the goal of bringing new generations closer to the joy of reading and the culture of their own region.

A network of towns and institutions

The festival is promoted by the Orestiadi Foundation of Gibellina, the lead town, in collaboration with the Superintendency for Cultural and Environmental Heritage of Trapani, the BiblioTP library network, the Belice Museum Network, and participating municipalities. It is an expression of the Inter-municipal Reading Pact that binds the towns of the Belice Valley—including Calatafimi-Segesta, Campobello di Mazara, Gibellina, Salaparuta, Salemi, Santa Ninfa, Partanna, Poggioreale, and Vita—in a joint project to promote literacy. The event is also part of the broader cultural context that saw Gibellina serve as the Italian Capital of Contemporary Art 2026.

A project that grows over time

Founded in 2021, the festival is now a consolidated fixture in the Belice cultural calendar. Each edition expands the network of participating libraries and institutions, confirming the role of municipal libraries as vibrant and accessible cultural hubs, even in the small towns of the Trapani province.