Memoria Festival
The festival that weaves together memory, history, and contemporaneity in Mirandola
About Memoria Festival
A festival dedicated to memory and history
The Memoria Festival is the major cultural event in Mirandola, a town in the Bassa modenese region of the province of Modena (Emilia-Romagna). Founded in 2015, it transforms the historic center into a large space for dialogue each year at the beginning of June, where personal memory and historical research meet. It is one of the most important memory festivals in Italy and attracts a large and loyal audience to the heart of the Emilian plain.
What to expect
The festival stands out for its multidisciplinary approach: each edition revolves around a central theme explored through literature, history, philosophy, cinema, theater, music, and science. Over the years, the Memoria Festival has also made space for contemporary languages, dedicating in-depth discussions to artificial intelligence, photography, and new media.
- Conferences and dialogues with prominent national writers, historians, and scholars
- Theater and music performances in squares and historic buildings
- Exhibitions and guided tours of the city center's sites
- Workshops and activities designed for children and young people
The festival venues in Mirandola
The events take place in the main spaces of Mirandola's historic center: from the central Piazza Matteotti to the historic Town Hall, from the Il Pico Cultural Center to the Pico Castle, as well as the city's courtyards and cloisters. The event sometimes also involves nearby towns in the Bassa modenese, such as San Felice sul Panaro, strengthening the connection with the territory.
An event for the territory
Promoted by the Consortium for the Memory Festival in collaboration with Mondadori Libri and with the support of local entities such as the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Mirandola, the festival is a cultural reference point for all of Emilia-Romagna. After the 2012 earthquake that severely affected Mirandola and the Bassa region, the Memoria Festival has also taken on a strong symbolic value of rebirth and care for community memory.
Memoria Festival — edition 2026
Memoria Festival 2026 — "Memory and History"
The eleventh edition of the Memoria Festival took place in Mirandola from June 5 to 7, 2026, preceded by a preview on June 4. The theme "Memory and History" invited reflection on the relationship with the past, creating a dialogue between personal memory and historical reconstruction through numerous disciplines.
Among the most anticipated moments were the reopening of the historic Town Hall of Mirandola and an extensive focus on artificial intelligence and new languages, in addition to performances, exhibitions, and activities for children and young people.
Programme Memoria Festival 2026
Program Structure
The 2026 edition was structured into several thematic trajectories: The Words of History (research and reconstruction of the past), Memory Becomes Narrative (autobiographical and narrative forms of memory), Understanding to Remember (history and contemporaneity), The Narration of Facts, Events, and Figures, and The Future of Memory and History (the transformations introduced by new technologies and artificial intelligence).
Main Guests
Among the over fifty speakers were Marco Paolini, Caterina Caselli, Serena Dandini, Luciana Littizzetto, Walter Siti, Enrico Brizzi, Antonio Calabrò, Patrizia Caraveo, Davide "Boosta" Dileo, Giovanni Grasso, Tommaso Sacchi, and Paola Zannoner.
Focus on Artificial Intelligence
- Alfio Ferrara and Giuseppe Antonelli on the impact of AI on words and creativity
- Valentina Tanni and Silvia Camporesi on contemporary imagery
- Donatella Della Ratta and Eugenio Cau on information, propaganda, fake news, and new media
Music and Performances
High-profile musical moments with Marco Rizzi, Simone Soldati, and Sandro Cappelletto, as well as a tribute to Lucio Dalla with Marcello Balestra.
For Children and Young People
Workshops and activities led by authors such as Nicoletta Verna, Giulio Zambon, Filippo Taddia, and Sara Loffredi.
Venues
The events took place in Piazza Matteotti, the historic Town Hall reopened for the occasion, and the Il Pico Cultural Center, in the historic center of Mirandola.
Highlights Memoria Festival 2026
Prices Memoria Festival 2026
Practical information — Memoria Festival
When
Early June, for three days (Friday-Sunday), with a preview the day before.
How to get there
Mirandola is located in the Bassa modenese, near the Mirandola-Medolla highway exit on the A22 Brenner motorway. By train, the reference station is Modena, connected by bus to the city. Events take place in the historic center, which is accessible on foot.
Admission
Access to events is free. For some events, booking may be recommended: consult the official website memoriafestival.it.
Contacts
Consorzio per il Festival della Memoria, Via Giolitti 22, Mirandola (MO). Tel. +39 0535 29624, email [email protected].
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Where does it take place — Memoria Festival
Centro storico di Mirandola
Via Giolitti, 22, 41037 Mirandola