Teatro a Pedali Festival
The theater powered by the audience's pedaling arrives in Luserna San Giovanni
About Teatro a Pedali
The festival that runs on bicycles
The Teatro a Pedali Festival is one of the most original cultural offerings in Piedmont: it is the only festival in Italy where shows are powered by energy generated by the audience itself, who pedal on bicycles connected to an electrical cogeneration system. The stage lights and audio are powered by the spectators' efforts, while a display shows the energy produced in real-time: every event becomes a low-impact, participatory experience.
Created in 2019 by Daniele Ronco and promoted by the Mulino ad Arte APS association (based in Cumiana, near Turin), the festival reaches its seventh edition in 2026, featuring approximately 60 shows spread from May to September across six Italian regions—Piedmont, Lombardy, Aosta Valley, Trentino-Alto Adige, Emilia-Romagna, and Puglia. One of the stops is the town of Luserna San Giovanni, in the picturesque Pellice Valley, in the province of Turin.
Events in Luserna San Giovanni
The program in Luserna consists of two very different evenings, both designed for families and those who love combining culture and the environment:
- June 13 — Val Pellice Astronomical Observatory: the show «Di Venere e di Marte si parte» with astrophysicist and science communicator Luca Perri, a journey between science and storytelling dedicated to space exploration and the planets of the Solar System.
- July 5 — Casa Payer: the show «Cronache di alberi» with researcher and communicator Giorgio Vacchiano, an expert in biodiversity and forest ecology, who guides the audience to discover forests as living communities. Following the show, a merenda sinoira (traditional Piedmontese late-afternoon snack) with live music by the band The Spell Of Ducks.
An experience blending theater, science, and nature
More than just a theater festival, Teatro a Pedali is a traveling project that brings culture to villages, mountains, and natural spaces, weaving together theater, music, circus, and scientific outreach. The choice of Luserna San Giovanni and the Pellice Valley perfectly reflects the festival's spirit: open-air spaces, contact with nature, and a constant reflection on sustainability. For those visiting the Pinerolo area and the Waldensian valleys, it is an opportunity to discover a new, conscious way of experiencing live performance.
Teatro a Pedali — edition 2026
In 2026, the Teatro a Pedali Festival returns to Luserna San Giovanni (Pellice Valley, Province of Turin) as part of its seventh edition, which includes about 60 shows from May to September across six Italian regions. The two events in Luserna confirm the festival's commitment to combining live performance, scientific outreach, and environmental sustainability, with the stage powered by energy produced by the audience on bicycles.
Programme Teatro a Pedali 2026
June 13 — Val Pellice Astronomical Observatory (9:30 PM)
- «Di Venere e di Marte si parte» with astrophysicist and communicator Luca Perri — a scientific outreach show dedicated to space exploration and the planets of the Solar System.
July 5 — Casa Payer (meeting at 5:00 PM at the Observatory parking lot)
- «Cronache di alberi» with researcher Giorgio Vacchiano, an expert in biodiversity and forest ecology, discovering forests as living communities.
- Following this, a merenda sinoira with live music by the band The Spell Of Ducks, to continue the evening amidst nature, good food, and music.
All shows are powered by the audience's pedaling via bicycles connected to an electrical cogeneration system.
Highlights Teatro a Pedali 2026
- Luca Perri's scientific show at the Astronomical Observatory, under the sky of the Pellice Valley.
- «Cronache di alberi» by Giorgio Vacchiano at Casa Payer, immersed in nature.
- The merenda sinoira with a live performance by The Spell Of Ducks.
- The stage powered by the energy of the pedaling audience: zero-impact culture.
Prices Teatro a Pedali 2026
Practical information — Teatro a Pedali
Location
The shows in Luserna San Giovanni (Province of Turin, Piedmont) are held at the Val Pellice Astronomical Observatory (June 13) and at Casa Payer (July 5). For the July 5th event, the meeting point is at 5:00 PM at the Astronomical Observatory parking lot.
Tickets
Standard festival rates: full price €15, reduced for over 65s €13, reduced for youth €7.50. For the July 5th event, a package including the show, merenda sinoira, and musical accompaniment is available. We recommend checking updated procedures and prices on the official website.
How to get there
Luserna San Giovanni can be reached by car from Pinerolo along the Pellice Valley; by train, the reference station is Torre Pellice / Luserna. We recommend wearing clothing suitable for open-air spaces and mountain evenings.
Contacts
Official website: teatroapedali.it — Tel. +39 370 325 9263 — Email [email protected] (Mulino ad Arte APS).
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Where does it take place — Teatro a Pedali
Osservatorio Astronomico Val Pellice / Casa Payer