Latium World Folkloric Festival

A world folklore festival in Cori

The Latium World Folkloric Festival is one of Italy's most important events dedicated to international folklore. Every year, between late July and the first week of August, the festival brings about 300 young artists from all over the world to Cori, an ancient village in the Lepini Mountains in the province of Latina. Traditional music and dances, songs, costumes, and rituals meet in a spirit of friendship between peoples, summarized in the festival's subtitle: world music and folk dance for a culture of peace.

A traveling event in Lazio

While its heart is in Cori, the Latium Festival is a traveling event that visits numerous historic towns in Lazio. Throughout the event, groups perform in Rome and many centers in the province of Latina and the Castelli Romani, including Segni, Paliano, Cisterna, Sezze, Sermoneta, Latina, and Tivoli, bringing world folklore from the Colosseum to the Temple of Hercules, through hills and mountains rich in tradition and art. The closing evenings are traditionally held in Cori, in the evocative open-air theater of Piazza della Croce.

Shows, parades, and gastronomy

The program alternates between grand gala evenings dedicated to two or three groups, colorful parades through the historic center, and moments of shared celebration. There is no shortage of gastronomic appointments with the Intercultura in Festa project: free tastings of local specialties from Cori, from wines to typical products, and ethnic dishes prepared by the foreign artists themselves. Local families host the groups, in an atmosphere of hospitality that is an integral part of the festival's spirit.

CIOFF recognition and values

The festival is recognized as a CIOFF® International Festival, within the International Council of Organizations of Folklore Festivals and Folk Arts, an official partner of UNESCO present in about 120 countries. The event, chaired by Tommaso Ducci, promotes peace, solidarity, and tolerance through cultural exchange among young people and the enhancement of intangible heritage.

Cori and the Lepini Mountains

Hosting an event of this magnitude is a source of pride for the Municipality of Cori and the entire Lazio Region. Cori is a village of ancient origins, perched on the Lepini Mountains and guardian of treasures such as the Roman-era Temple of Hercules. During the festival, its squares and medieval alleys become the natural stage for an encounter between peoples, offering visitors an experience that combines culture, entertainment, and the discovery of the Lepini territory.