Olympic Fringe Festival - Saronno
Street arts and Olympic spirit in the heart of Saronno
About Olympic Fringe Festival
The Olympic spirit in the squares
The Olympic Fringe Festival was born in 2026 as a touring event linked to the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games. Promoted by the Varese Welcome Foundation and the Varese Chamber of Commerce, together with the Province of Varese and the local Municipalities, the festival celebrates Olympic values through street arts, bringing performances by acrobats, stilt walkers, mimes, and jugglers to the squares.
Saronno opens the route
It is precisely Saronno, in the province of Varese, that opens the festival's journey, with two weekends of performances animating Piazza Libertà and other areas of the historic center, from Piazza Avis to Piazza Indipendenza, up to Villa Gianetti. After Saronno, the festival continues its touring route, visiting Busto Arsizio, Gallarate, Luino, and Varese.
Four themed performances
The Saronno program is marked by four themed performances that recall Olympic symbols and myths: the birth of the torch with fire and micro-pyrotechnics, the future of the Olympics through contemporary arts and technology, the fair of Olympia with comedy and mime art, and the Greek myth with aerial acrobatics. The shows are repeated at different times of the day to involve as many spectators as possible.
An event for the community
Conceived as a widespread and free celebration, the Olympic Fringe Festival attracted thousands of visitors to Saronno over the two weekends, transforming the city center into an open-air stage. It is an example of how a major international sporting event can generate culture and participation in the territories, far beyond the competition venues.
Olympic Fringe Festival — edition 2026
The inaugural edition of the Olympic Fringe Festival opens in Saronno on January 31 and February 1, 2026, and will be repeated the following weekend, February 7-8. Four themed performances linked to Olympic values and myths will animate the central squares at multiple times. Promoted by the Varese Welcome Foundation and the Varese Chamber of Commerce in anticipation of Milan Cortina 2026. Free admission.
Programme Olympic Fringe Festival 2026
Saturday, January 31 - "The Birth of the Torch"
- A fire and micro-pyrotechnics show evoking the origin of the Olympic torch
Sunday, February 1 - "The Future of the Olympics"
- Contemporary arts and technology: disciplines, creativity, and new forms of athletic movement
Saturday, February 7 - "The Fair of Olympia"
- Comedy and mime art
Sunday, February 8 - "The Greek Myth"
- Aerial acrobatics
Each performance is repeated at the following time slots: 10:30-11:30, 12:00-13:00, 15:30-16:30, and 17:00-18:00, in the squares of Saronno's center. Free admission.
Highlights Olympic Fringe Festival 2026
The fire show "The Birth of the Torch" and the aerial acrobatics of "The Greek Myth," with the city center transformed into a widespread stage.
Prices Olympic Fringe Festival 2026
Practical information — Olympic Fringe Festival
Where
Piazza Libertà, Piazza Avis, Piazza Indipendenza, Corso Italia, and Villa Gianetti, Saronno (VA).
When
Over two weekends between late January and early February. Performances at multiple time slots: 10:30-11:30, 12:00-13:00, 15:30-16:30, 17:00-18:00.
Admission
Free and open to all.
How to get there
Saronno is reachable by train from Milan and Varese; the squares are all in the center, a short distance from each other.
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Where does it take place — Olympic Fringe Festival
Piazze del centro storico
Piazza Libertà e centro città, 21047 Saronno