I Teatri del Mondo - International Festival of Theatre for Young Audiences
A week of theatre, circus, and workshops for children and families on the seafront of Porto Sant'Elpidio
About I Teatri del Mondo
A Historic Festival for the Youngest
I Teatri del Mondo is the International Festival of Theatre for Young Audiences in Porto Sant'Elpidio, in the province of Fermo, in the Marche region. Founded in 1990, it is now one of the longest-running and most recognized children's theatre festivals in Italy: every summer it fills the parks, squares, and outdoor spaces of the Adriatic town with performances designed for children and those who accompany them. The festival is organized by the Municipality of Porto Sant'Elpidio together with the Lagrù association and is supported by the Ministry of Culture through the National Fund for Live Performance, with funding confirmed up to the 2025-2027 triennium.
What to See
The heart of the festival is the evening performances, but the program covers the entire day. The offerings span all genres of performing arts for children:
- Actor theatre and storytelling for young audiences
- Puppetry, puppets, and marionettes
- Dance-theatre and circus arts
- Italian and international companies selected each year
Mornings are dedicated to workshops for children and young people (typically aged 5-6 to 13-14) on theatre, music, circus arts, and illustration, while the Teatro Campus offers an immersive week of guided activities and performances.
The "Città dei bambini" Award
A distinctive element of the event is the Premio Porto Sant'Elpidio - Città dei bambini (Porto Sant'Elpidio Award - Children's City), a competition decided by a jury of children themselves. Alongside this is the Premio Gianni Battilà, awarded by the youth jury. It's a way to truly put children at the center, making them protagonists and not just spectators.
A Festival Spread Across the Marche
While centered in Porto Sant'Elpidio, I Teatri del Mondo is a widespread festival: in recent editions, it has also brought performances to other municipalities in the Marche region such as Macerata, Monte Urano, Sant'Elpidio a Mare, and Porto Recanati, extending the festival beyond the main week in July. For families vacationing on the Riviera delle Palme, it's an opportunity to combine the seaside with quality cultural offerings, in a cool and festive evening atmosphere in the city's parks.
Tradition and Identity
With over three decades of history, the festival has become part of Porto Sant'Elpidio's cultural identity and a national reference point for children's theatre. The poster, entrusted each year to a prestigious illustrator or comic artist, is one of the distinctive features of the festival.
I Teatri del Mondo — edition 2026
2026 Edition — The 37th
The 37th edition of I Teatri del Mondo is confirmed from July 11th to 18th, 2026, in Porto Sant'Elpidio (Fermo). The event, organized by the Municipality and the Lagrù association with the support of the Ministry of Culture, confirms its established format: evening outdoor performances, morning workshops, and the "Città dei bambini" competition with a jury of young people.
The 2026 poster has been entrusted to Paolo Bacilieri, an award-winning illustrator and comic artist (winner of the Gran Guinigi Award and the ANAFI Award), confirming the festival's tradition of associating each edition with a great name in drawing.
The detailed program with the selected companies and the schedules of individual performances will be published by the organization in the weeks preceding the festival.
Programme I Teatri del Mondo 2026
The detailed program for the 2026 edition, including the selected companies and the schedules of individual performances, will be announced by the organization in the weeks preceding the festival and published on the official website iteatridelmondo.it.
The usual daily structure includes:
- Morning — workshops for children and young people (theatre, music, circus arts, illustration) and Teatro Campus activities
- Afternoon and Evening — actor theatre, puppetry, marionettes, dance, and circus performances in the city's outdoor spaces
- Selection of competing companies for the Premio Porto Sant'Elpidio - Città dei bambini, voted by the youth jury, and for the Premio Gianni Battilà
No company names or show titles not yet officially published for 2026 are anticipated here.
Highlights I Teatri del Mondo 2026
- 37th edition of the festival, founded in 1990
- 2026 poster by Paolo Bacilieri
- "Città dei bambini" Award and Gianni Battilà Award
- International theatre, puppetry, dance, and circus performances
- Morning workshops and Teatro Campus for young people
Prices I Teatri del Mondo 2026
Practical information — I Teatri del Mondo
Where
Performances take place in outdoor spaces in Porto Sant'Elpidio (province of Fermo, Marche), including the Parco della Resistenza in the San Filippo district. The ticket office and festival offices are traditionally located at Villa Murri, in Via San Giovanni Bosco 26/a.
How to Get Here
By train: Porto Sant'Elpidio station on the Bologna-Lecce Adriatic line. By car: Porto Sant'Elpidio exit from the A14 motorway. The nearest airport is Ancona-Marche Airport (Falconara), about 50 km away.
Tickets
Admission to performances is ticketed at a low price; some events and activities are free. Season tickets for multiple shows are available. Tickets can be purchased online and at the festival offices.
When
The festival is held in July. The 2026 edition is scheduled from July 11th to 18th.
Festival-goer photos
No photos yet. Share yours!
Share your photos
5 photos max, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)
Noticed an error or missing information?
Help us keep this listing up to date. Every proposal is verified by our team before publication.
Festival-goer reviews
No rating yet — be the first!
No comments yet. Be the first!
Were you there?
Share your experience with the community.
Where does it take place — I Teatri del Mondo
Parco della Resistenza e spazi all'aperto del centro