Terranostra – International Folklore Festival

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 the five continents animate the squares, alleys, and stages of the historic centre, making this town of just over two thousand inhabitants a true 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—brightened the festival with its performances. Over time, Urbanitas began to travel around Europe and the world, joining the CIOFF (the UNESCO-recognised organisation that coordinates international folklore festivals), and gave birth to 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 dance of the Marche region, along with local costumes, music, and gastronomy.

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 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 High Mass accompanied by sacred chants, the parade, and the moving final farewell, the "Salutando Terranostra", with the symbolic exchange of gifts between the groups and the 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 set up at the Mestica Theatre. It's an opportunity to discover Apiro and the hinterland of Macerata, between Monte San Vicino and the hills of the Marche, during one of the liveliest moments of the summer.