La Grande Invasione – Reading Festival

A reading festival born in Ivrea

La Grande Invasione is one of the most important reading festivals in Northern Italy. Founded in 2013 in Ivrea, in the province of Turin, it has grown edition after edition to become an eagerly awaited event for thousands of readers. Curated by Marco Cassini and Gianmario Pilo and organized by the Liberi di scegliere ETS association, the festival transforms the city for four days into a vast laboratory of words, where authors, readers, and curious minds meet in an informal and participatory atmosphere. In recent years, the event has expanded, reaching Aosta and Chieri, but Ivrea remains the historic home and the beating heart of the festival.

Over 150 events including meetings, lectures, and readings

The program in Ivrea features over 150 appointments: free meetings with authors, book presentations, readings, live-recorded podcasts, morning press reviews, and evening shows. A particularly appreciated section is that of the themed lectures, covering paths such as music, travel, ideas, words, and passions, delivered by prominent speakers. The format favors a direct relationship between writers and readers, with a succession of conversations, readings, and cultural entertainment moments that animate the city from morning until late at night.

Exhibitions, concerts, and cross-pollination between arts

La Grande Invasione is not just about books. The festival intertwines literature with other arts through exhibitions of illustration and comics, concerts, live painting, stand-up comedy, and original formats. The exhibitions are spread between the Museo Civico Pier Alessandro Garda and various spaces in the city, while the evenings offer music and entertainment. The historic venues of the event—from Piazza Ottinetti, the festival's true headquarters, to the Teatro Giacosa, and from the churches of San Gaudenzio and Santa Croce to the Galleria del Libro—create a path that allows the public to discover the center of Ivrea.

La Piccola Invasione for children and teenagers

Alongside the main program runs La Piccola Invasione, the section dedicated to younger readers, curated by Marianna Doria and Ludovica Giovine. With animated readings, creative workshops, and meetings with authors and illustrators, it involves numerous local school classes and families every year, building a bridge between new generations and the pleasure of reading.

Ivrea, a city of culture in the heart of Piedmont

Hosting a festival like La Grande Invasione fits naturally with the cultural vocation of Ivrea, a city known for its famous Carnival and its industrial and architectural Olivetti heritage, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site. During the festival, squares, museums, theaters, bookstores, and city spaces become meeting points: a true invasion of books and ideas that fosters a dialogue between the Piedmontese tradition and the languages of contemporary culture. For those who love to read, it is the perfect opportunity to experience Ivrea during one of its most vibrant seasons.