Terranostra – Festival Internazionale del Folclore
A week of dances, music, and costumes from five continents in the heart of the Marche region
About Terranostra
A window onto world folklore
Every year, in the days leading up to Ferragosto, the small village of Apiro, in the province of Macerata, in the Marche region, dresses up to host Terranostra – International Folklore Festival. For a whole week, dances, music, costumes, and traditions from five continents animate the squares, alleys, and stages of the historic centre, turning this village of just over two thousand inhabitants into an authentic meeting point for peoples.
The history and the Urbanitas group
The festival has its roots in the traditional Festa della Polenta (Polenta Festival) of Apiro, where the folk group Urbanitas — founded in the 1930s — enlivened the festival with its performances. Over time, Urbanitas began to tour Europe and the world, joining the CIOFF (the UNESCO-recognised organisation that coordinates international folklore festivals), and launched an international event that is now among the most important of its kind in Italy. The core of the festival remains the promotion of the 'saltarello', the traditional Marche dance, along with local costumes, music, and cuisine.
A week of performances and encounters
The programme alternates evenings dedicated to individual guest groups, moments of widespread celebration, and major collective events. The opening ceremony presents all the international delegations, while the Folklore Gala is the most anticipated show, with all the groups on stage. The Festa Paesana (Village Festival) transforms the alleys of the centre into a journey of music, dances, and typical cuisine from different countries. The week concludes on Ferragosto with Holy Mass accompanied by sacred chants, a parade, and the moving final farewell, the "Salutando Terranostra", with the symbolic exchange of gifts between the groups and authorities.
Not just the stage
Alongside the performances, Terranostra offers the Art&Terra market exhibition dedicated to artistic crafts and food and wine, wine tastings, games, and initiatives for families, as well as art exhibitions at the Mestica Theatre. It's an opportunity to discover Apiro and the Macerata hinterland, between Monte San Vicino and the Marche hills, during one of the liveliest moments of the summer.
Terranostra — edition 2026
The 53rd edition of the Terranostra International Folklore Festival will be held in Apiro (MC) from August 9th to 15th, 2026, with the usual welcome evening in the days immediately preceding it. International delegations will perform on stage alongside the local Urbanitas group, in a week of dances, music, and costumes from five continents culminating in the grand Folklore Gala and the Ferragosto farewell.
Programme Terranostra 2026
Friday, August 8th – 10:00 PM (Ex Pista di Pattinaggio)
- Welcome party with local band Malembà Eurofolk
Saturday, August 9th – 9:30 PM (Ex Pista di Pattinaggio)
- Opening Ceremony with performances by international groups
Sunday, August 10th – 9:30 PM (Ex Pista di Pattinaggio)
- Performance by Ecuador
Monday, August 11th – 9:30 PM (Ex Pista di Pattinaggio)
- Performances by USA and Colombia
Tuesday, August 12th – 9:30 PM (Ex Pista di Pattinaggio)
- Performances by Tahiti and Turkey
Wednesday, August 13th – from 7:00 PM (Piazza Baldini and Ex Pista di Pattinaggio)
- Festa Paesana: parades, live music, and traditional cuisine in the historic alleys
Thursday, August 14th – 9:30 PM (Ex Pista di Pattinaggio)
- Folklore Gala, the Festival's most important and anticipated show, featuring all international groups
Friday, August 15th (Ferragosto) – from 5:00 PM (Piazza Baldini and Ex Pista di Pattinaggio)
- 5:00 PM — Holy Mass and parade
- 6:30 PM — Performance by the Minigruppo Urbanitas
- 9:30 PM — "Salutando Terranostra", with the symbolic exchange of gifts between groups and authorities
Parallel Events
- August 9-15 — "Art&Terra" market exhibition (crafts, food and wine, play area)
- August 10-12 — "Terranostra in Gioco" (Piazza Baldini, 6:00 PM) and wine tastings with AIS (7:00 PM)
- August 9-15 — Exhibitions at Teatro Mestica: "Marche Landscapes" by Marco Franchini and "The Times of Time" by Rosella Quintini
Highlights Terranostra 2026
Prices Terranostra 2026
Practical information — Terranostra
Where
Apiro (MC), in the Marche hinterland. Evening performances are mainly held at the Ex Pista di Pattinaggio (former skating rink); the Festa Paesana and daytime events take place in Piazza Baldini and the alleys of the historic centre; exhibitions are held at the Teatro Mestica.
When
Every year during the week of Ferragosto (August 9th to 15th).
How to get here
By car: from Macerata or Jesi following the inland provincial roads. The most convenient train station is Castelplanio-Cupramontana or Macerata, from which you can continue by car. Reference airport: Ancona-Falconara.
Tickets
Some performances are free admission; for paid events, tickets are available on CiaoTickets.
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Where does it take place — Terranostra
Centro storico di Apiro (Piazza Baldini, Ex Pista di Pattinaggio, Teatro Mestica)
Piazza Baldini, 62021 Apiro