Torcularia Book Festival

The Festival of Knowledge in the heart of Emilia-Romagna

The Torcularia Book Festival is one of the most followed cultural events in the province of Parma. Founded in 2021, it has established itself in just a few years as a key event for those who love books, ideas, and discussion. The venue is the charming Villa Pallavicino park, in Arola, in the Municipality of Langhirano, known worldwide for the production of Prosciutto di Parma. The festival takes place in the Emilia-Romagna Region and attracts thousands of spectators from all over the territory each year.

A journey through the seven liberal arts

The festival defines itself as the Festival of Knowledge and ideally structures its program around the medieval school system of the seven liberal arts. Three formats alternate on stage: Lectiones Magistrales, monologue lectures entrusted to great intellectuals; Author Encounters, dedicated to new publications and dialogue with writers; and Live Performances, moments of theatre and storytelling. The common thread is the conviction that culture is not a luxury, but a necessity.

Great names in Italian culture

Over the course of its editions, Torcularia has hosted some of the most prestigious names on the national scene. Among the protagonists of recent seasons are philosophers such as Umberto Galimberti and Massimo Recalcati, writers such as Niccolò Ammaniti, mathematicians such as Piergiorgio Odifreddi, and journalists such as Federico Rampini, Concita De Gregorio, and Carmen Lasorella, as well as theatre performers like Lella Costa. Many events regularly sell out.

Artistic Direction and Organization

The artistic direction is entrusted to Mariangela Guandalini and Eleonora Guandalini, who have long been involved in organizing cultural events and promoting authors. The festival is promoted by the Municipality of Langhirano in collaboration with the Compagnia del Festival Association and with the contribution of Fondazione Cariparma.

An evening in the company of books

Attending Torcularia means spending a summer evening immersed in the greenery of the Villa Pallavicino park, listening to voices capable of narrating our time. An experience that combines the beauty of the Parma Valley landscape with the depth of thought, in one of the richest lands of history and flavors in Emilia-Romagna.