Pavia Queer Fest
Contemporary queer art, cinema, and performance in the heart of Pavia
About Pavia Queer Fest
A festival for the 20th anniversary of Coming-Aut
The Pavia Queer Fest was born in 2026 as its very first edition, conceived to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Coming-Aut LGBTI+ Community Center, one of the most established organizations in Pavia's activism scene. Two days of art, culture, and commitment bringing queer creativity to the heart of the city, in the province of Pavia.
Art, cinema, and performance
The program blends different languages: photographic exhibitions — such as L'isola degli arrusi, dedicated to the confinement of homosexuals in the Tremiti Islands during Fascism — stand-up comedy shows, performances on the theme of trans parenthood, screenings of experimental Super 8 cinema, DJ sets, and concerts. A lineup that alternates moments of reflection with moments of celebration, featuring artists and guests from the Italian and international queer scene.
The festival venues
The Queer Fest takes place in some of Pavia's most beautiful locations: the Visconti Castle Gardens, the Broletto Palace in Piazza della Vittoria, and the Santa Maria Gualtieri exhibition hall. The festival spaces also host the "Broletto Village" with independent queer publishers and a narrative space dedicated to the twenty-year history of Coming-Aut.
Free admission
All events are free to enter, supported by a crowdfunding campaign and the center's volunteer work. The Pavia Queer Fest aims to be a new addition to the rich calendar of LGBTQIA+ events that, in Pavia's spring, culminates with the Pavia Pride.
Pavia Queer Fest — edition 2026
The Pavia Queer Fest 2026 opens on April 17 and 18 as its very first edition, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of Coming-Aut. The program alternates photographic exhibitions, talks, performances, experimental cinema, DJ sets, and concerts, spread across the Visconti Castle Gardens, the Broletto Palace, and the Santa Maria Gualtieri exhibition hall. Free admission.
Programme Pavia Queer Fest 2026
Friday, April 17
- 6:00 PM — Festival Opening
- 6:30 PM — Inauguration of the photographic exhibition L'isola degli arrusi on the confinement of homosexuals in the Tremiti Islands during Fascism
- 9:00 PM — Komorebi, stand-up dramedy by Giorgia Mazzucato on violence against LGBTQIA+ people in Italy
- 10:00 PM — DJ set by Santissima Vicky (Neapolitan drag artist)
Saturday, April 18
- 3:30 PM — Utopie Queer, meeting with the authors of the graphic novel Saetta Rossa
- 5:00 PM — Genealogie Divergenti, performance on trans parenthood
- 6:30 PM — Super 8 screening and live performance by underground Spanish filmmaker Stanley Sunday
- 9:00 PM — Concert by rapper Dug (Samuel Dughetti), a trans artist
- 10:30 PM — DJ set by Sonia García
On display
The "Queer Care and Struggle Archives" space tells the story of Coming-Aut; at the Broletto Village, independent queer publishers. The photographic exhibition remains open until May 3.
Highlights Pavia Queer Fest 2026
Prices Pavia Queer Fest 2026
Practical information — Pavia Queer Fest
When
April 17-18, 2026.
Where
Visconti Castle Gardens (Piazza Castello), Broletto Palace (Piazza della Vittoria 15), and Santa Maria Gualtieri Exhibition Hall (Piazza della Vittoria 5), Pavia.
Admission
Free.
How to get there
Pavia is about a 30-minute train ride from Milan; the festival venues are all in the historic center, within walking distance.
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Where does it take place — Pavia Queer Fest
Giardini del Castello Visconteo, Palazzo Broletto, Santa Maria Gualtieri
Palazzo Broletto, Piazza della Vittoria 15, 27100 Pavia