Lokomotiv Fest

A day of grassroots sports in the heart of Pigneto

The Lokomotiv Fest is the major annual celebration of the Polisportiva Lokomotiv Prenestino, which every spring brings the Parco delle Energie and the CSOA eXSnia to life along Via Prenestina, in the Pigneto district of Rome (Lazio Region). For an entire day, the green spaces and self-managed facilities of the former Snia Viscosa factory are transformed into playing fields, outdoor gyms, and dance floors, centered on a simple idea: sport as a right for everyone—free, inclusive, and far from the logic of competition at any cost.

The sports program: tournaments for everyone

The heart of the festival is a packed schedule of tournaments and exhibitions taking place simultaneously across the park's various areas. The disciplines are distributed between the Quadrato, the Casa del Parco, and the Palestra Popolare Dario Simonetti:

• Palestra Popolare Dario Simonetti: Muay Thai, boxing, and climbing;
• Quadrato: mini-volleyball, futsal, and the 3x3 basketball tournament, one of the most popular of the day;
• Casa del Parco: table tennis, teqball, and chess tournaments.

Activities involve adults, teenagers, and children, with a special focus on accessibility and participation for those who do not play sports competitively.

Music, food, and solidarity

Sport is only part of the festival. Throughout the day, the park is filled with DJ sets and live concerts, with a preference for reggae, dub, and folk sounds, while stalls offer a communal lunch with vegan and non-vegan food, beer, and local products. There is no shortage of book presentations, debates, and solidarity initiatives, such as medicine drives and benefit stalls, which make the Lokomotiv Fest a hub for cultural and social engagement beyond just sports.

The Polisportiva Lokomotiv Prenestino and Parco delle Energie

Founded in 2014, the Polisportiva Lokomotiv Prenestino is a grassroots sports organization based at Parco delle Energie, the green area returned to the public on the site of the former Snia Viscosa factory, now managed by the CSOA eXSnia. The sports club offers year-round training in soccer, volleyball, basketball, martial arts, and climbing at affordable prices, and the Lokomotiv Fest represents its most visible showcase, attracting practitioners and curious visitors from all over Rome.

In memory of Dario Simonetti

The park's grassroots gym is named after Dario Simonetti, a figure linked to the history of grassroots sports in the neighborhood; the Trophy that accompanies various editions of the festival is also dedicated to him. This connection to memory and the local area is what distinguishes the Lokomotiv Fest from many other city events: a manifestation rooted in the Municipality of Rome and its most creative suburbs, where sports, self-management, and internationalist solidarity coexist in a single day of celebration.