Gorgognano Festival – Landscape Narrative Festival

Walking to tell the landscape

The Gorgognano Festival is not a classic village fair: it is a theatrical excursion that combines trekking, historical memory, and live performance in the green Val di Zena, in the Municipality of Pianoro (Metropolitan City of Bologna, Emilia-Romagna). The event is organized by the Associazione Parco Museale della Val di Zena in collaboration with the Municipality of Pianoro, as part of the Festival Narrativo del Paesaggio, the event that enhances the metropolitan area of Bologna by focusing on its places, paths, and communities.

The Via del Fantini to Gorgognano

The heart of the day is the guided walk along the Via del Fantini, the historic route that climbs from the Botteghino di Zocca to the small hilltop village of Gorgognano, a hamlet of Pianoro overlooking the badlands and woods of the Bolognese Apennines. It is an itinerary of about 12 kilometers, with an elevation gain of 500 meters and the same descent, on dirt roads and forest paths: medium difficulty, lasting about four and a half hours excluding stops. The guide accompanies participants, recounting the geology, nature, and stories of the valley, on a walk that is also a journey into the memory of the territory.

Open-air theatre and conviviality

Upon arrival in Gorgognano, hikers will find a free-will offering refreshment, a moment of rest and conviviality in the shade of the village, followed by an open-air theatre performance by the Compagnia Streben. Each edition features a different theme, often inspired by the stories and voices of the Apennine landscape: from the memory of the ancient inhabitants of the hills to, in more recent editions, the stories of female figures who have left their mark. The performance, designed to be experienced immersed in nature, ideally concludes the walk before the return on foot to the starting point.

A tailor-made event for the territory

The Gorgognano Festival is designed for those who love to walk slowly and discover the Bolognese Apennines from an unusual perspective. Participation in the excursion is limited to 50 people and requires mandatory booking, while the refreshment and performance are open to all with a free-will offering. An event that, edition after edition, has become one of the most beloved moments of the cultural calendar of Pianoro and Val di Zena.