Natale d'Autore

A Christmas festival in the heart of the Monti Simbruini

Every year, as winter wraps around the Aniene Valley, the village of Trevi nel Lazio—home to just under two thousand residents in the province of Frosinone, within the Monti Simbruini Regional Natural Park—transforms into a small cultural laboratory. Natale d'Autore is the festival that accompanies the entire holiday period: a calendar full of meetings, theatre, cinema, music, and social moments designed, as the organizers' invitation suggests, to be inspired by the unique atmosphere of the most beautiful days of the year.

The Juvenilia Marquee in Piazza Santa Maria Maggiore

The beating heart of the event is the Juvenilia Marquee, set up in Piazza Santa Maria Maggiore in the historic town centre. Under this heated structure, the festival's evening appointments take place, while some events also find space in other parts of the village, such as the church of Santa Maria Assunta, which in past editions has hosted classical music concerts and theatrical performances. Over the years, the marquee in the square has become a symbol of Christmas in Trevi: a meeting point where different generations gather for a film, a show, or a raffle.

The programme: meetings, theatre, cinema, and music

Natale d'Autore is not just a simple entertainment schedule: every edition revolves around a theme, often inspired by great literature. In 2022 the common thread recalled the pages of Manzoni, while in 2023 the festival was titled «Natale...in cerca d'Autore» (Christmas...in search of an Author), with a Pirandellian homage. A programme is built around the theme, alternating:

• meetings and debates on books, current events, and culture;
• theatrical performances, often featuring local companies and talent;
• film screenings, in continuity with the CineAmo film club curated by the association;
• concerts and musical moments, from sacred music to string quartets;
• social gatherings and traditional Christmas games.

Juvenilia, «the works of the young»

The festival is organized by the Juvenilia cultural association, whose Latin name means «the works of the young». Founded in Trevi nel Lazio with the goal of promoting authentic culture—understood as a tool for interpreting reality rather than mere erudition for the few—Juvenilia enlivens the village all year round with the LeggiAmo reading circle, the CineAmo film club, photography competitions, and the summer Meeting. Natale d'Autore is its most anticipated winter event, documented for nearly a decade.

A different kind of Christmas in Ciociaria

In the landscape of festivities in Ciociaria and the upper Aniene Valley, Natale d'Autore stands out for its cultural focus: not a Christmas market, but a festival of content. In Trevi nel Lazio, it coexists with the Christmas Markets organized by the Pro Loco: two distinct initiatives that, together, make the village—dominated by the Castello Caetani—a surprising winter destination in the Lazio Region. The Municipality of Trevi nel Lazio and the Monti Simbruini Park relaunch the festival programme every year, attracting visitors from neighbouring towns and the nearby Altipiani di Arcinazzo.