Grotta Queer Fest

The first queer festival in the heart of Irpinia

On Saturday, June 6, 2026, Grottaminarda, a town in the province of Avellino, Campania, hosted the inaugural edition of the Grotta Queer Fest: a full day dedicated to queer cultures, designed more as a relational experience than a simple series of shows. The underlying idea, emphasized by the organizers, is clear: queer culture does not belong only to large cities, but thrives in every territory, even in the towns of inland Irpinia.

The result is a festival that is not confined to a stage, but moves through the town, temporarily changing its use: squares, the council chamber, a pastry shop, and finally the castle become stops on a unique journey, designed to foster genuine human connection.

A widespread festival, from morning to night

The heart of the day is Piazza XVI Marzo, the festival's meeting point: a space to relax and socialize over food and music, welcoming the public from 9:30 AM and hosting urban performances, workshops, and discussions throughout the morning. In the early afternoon, the square transforms into a street food and DJ set zone, before making way for further performances.

From 5:00 PM, the program moves to the council chamber of the Town Hall for a public meeting and screening; at 7:00 PM, it reaches Pasticceria Ciotola for a queer aperitivo with stand-up comedy; finally, from 10:00 PM, it ascends to Castello d'Aquino, one of Grottaminarda's most iconic historical landmarks, for the GrottaQueerGala, the closing night featuring performances and DJ sets.

Voices of the first edition

• Narcisea (Ginevra Gannuscio) — a trans artist and performer originally from Grottaminarda, returning to her hometown for an intimate and personal artistic narrative, also starring in the evening gala at the castle.
• Alec Trenta — cartoonist, illustrator, and stand-up comedian, author of the graphic novel «Barba. Storia di come sono nato due volte» (Laterza, 2022), with an original set dedicated to themes of identity and the body.
• Ambrosia Fortuna — artist, director, and performer, among the announced guests of the day.
• Sara Ariotti and Kyda Pozza — performance and dance-theater, with a participatory warm-up session and a "social dance" in the square.
• Collettivo Incontri dall'Interno — the "Nessun* nasce imparato" event, an LGBTQIA+ glossary designed as an educational moment open to everyone.
• Rubbe, Ventro, and Ariha — the DJs accompanying the afternoon in the square and the night at Castello d'Aquino, with a performance by Ivanka.

The team behind it

The festival was made possible thanks to the support of the Municipality of Grottaminarda and the collaboration of the Cripta Maynarda Association, with cultural partnership from The Bunch Festival and co-financing from GIOSEF Italy, which included the event within the YOU(th) CARE for CHANGE project. The appointment was also included in the calendar of the Transfeminist Festival of Irpinia, promoted within the Arci network of Avellino.

The planning involved, among others, Marco Lombardo, Ivan Braconi, Jacopo Rossetti, Enrico Gaggiotti, Laura Mello Rello, Bernarda Ferragamo, Alessandro Nicotera, Antonella Esperto, Alec Trenta, and Ginevra Gannuscio, alongside the entities Cripta Maynarda, Hō-ō Lab, The Bunch Festival, the GIOSEF Italy network, and Youth Care For Change.

Why it matters here

In an inland area like the Ufita Valley, where the summer cultural offer is traditionally made up of food festivals and patron saint feasts, the Grotta Queer Fest introduces a different language: urban performance, relational installations, club culture, and education on gender identity and sexual orientation. It is not an event imposed from above: it was born from local people and those who left, and it chooses to speak to the town in its everyday spaces, from the main square to the castle.

For those visiting Irpinia, it is also a different way to discover Grottaminarda and inland Campania, along the route between Avellino and Puglia.

What to expect from future editions

As this was the first edition, the format may evolve, but the formula of a single, widespread day has already proven effective: it brings together public, open moments and a more festive finale at Castello d'Aquino. It is worth following the channels of the Cripta Maynarda Association and the Municipality of Grottaminarda for dates and programs of future editions.