Una Rocca a Colori - Children's Literature Festival
Four days of books, workshops, and readings for children and teens in the Castelli Romani area
About Una Rocca a Colori
A festival that brings color to the highest village in the Castelli Romani
At an altitude of 768 meters, Rocca Priora is the highest municipality in the Castelli Romani, located in the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, in the heart of Lazio. Every year, towards the end of May, the town pauses its quiet pace to host Una Rocca a Colori - Children's Literature Festival, an event established in 2022 that has rapidly grown into one of the region's key appointments for promoting reading among the youth.
The festival is promoted by the Rocca Priora Municipal Library with the support of the municipal administration and the collaboration of the Castelli Romani Library System, the Castelli Romani Culture Foundation, and the "Duilio Cambellotti" Comprehensive Institute. It is not an event imposed from above, but the result of the daily work of a local library that has chosen to place books at the center of civic life: in October 2025, the Municipality signed the 2025-2035 Reading Pact, a ten-year commitment that frames the festival.
The heart of the event: the 0-13 age group
Una Rocca a Colori is explicitly aimed at children, teenagers, and families, with a program calibrated for age groups starting from the very first years of life. The days are divided between mornings dedicated to local schools and afternoons open to everyone, with a rhythm that alternates between listening moments and practical activities:
- Meet-and-greets with authors and illustrators of children's literature, who present their books while engaging directly with young readers;
- Creative and artistic workshops, almost always by reservation due to limited capacity;
- Reading marathons and animated readings, often using the Japanese technique of kamishibai, the tabletop image theater;
- Multilingual readings, which highlight the languages spoken by families residing in the municipality;
- Theatrical performances and live storytelling;
- Literary and photography contests aimed at teens and adults;
- Training courses for teachers, librarians, parents, and picture book enthusiasts.
Inclusion as a common thread
Over the years, the festival has made accessibility a distinctive feature. The days include a simultaneous translation service in Italian Sign Language (LIS), augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) workshops, and paths designed so that no child is left out. This is not just an organizational detail: it is the cultural choice that gives meaning to the very title of the event, where the "colors" are also those of the differences that make up the community.
The Monsignor Giacci Cultural Center
The main venue is the Monsignor Francesco Giacci Cultural Center, at Via Mons. F. Giacci 2, which houses the municipal library and spaces for workshops and performances. Recent editions have extended some activities to other locations in the historic center. The festival offers free admission: however, booking is required for workshops, which have limited spots.
Why it's worth the trip
Rocca Priora can be reached in just over half an hour from Rome and is located a short distance from Frascati, Rocca di Papa, and Lake Nemi. A day at the festival can easily become a trip to the Castelli Romani, amidst views that reach the sea on clear days and the classic fraschette (local taverns) where you can stop for lunch. For families with young children, it is one of the most successful opportunities in Lazio to introduce children to books without it feeling like a chore: here, reading is play, a workshop, a show, and an encounter.
Una Rocca a Colori — edition 2026
Fifth edition: four days dedicated to inclusion
From May 20 to 23, 2026, the Monsignor Giacci Cultural Center in Rocca Priora hosted the fifth edition of Una Rocca a Colori, promoted by the Municipal Library with the support of the Lazio Regional Council. The opening, on Wednesday, May 20 at 4:30 PM, saw the participation of Mayor Claudio Fatelli and Councilor for Culture Federica Lavalle.
The main theme was inclusion, made concrete by the simultaneous translation service in Italian Sign Language active for the entire duration of the festival, curated by Eleonora Alfei of Segnando, and by a training course on augmentative and alternative communication (AAC).
Among the most attended events, the informal lecture by writer Paolo Di Paolo, guest of honor, who spoke with the youth about the value of reading and the power of stories, and the double performance of the shadow theater show Pierino e il Lupo by Gek Tessaro, which closed the event on Saturday, May 23.
Programme Una Rocca a Colori 2026
Wednesday, May 20
- Morning - "Now I read": diploma delivery to Young Readers of the first grades, with narrator Eva Lissette Passig Droguett
- From 4:30 PM - Inauguration with Mayor Claudio Fatelli and Councilor for Culture Federica Lavalle
- Informal lecture by Paolo Di Paolo, guest of honor, on Dante, reading, and the power of stories
- Award ceremony of the second edition of the "Voci a colori" literary contest, curated by writer Claudio Chiavari
Thursday, May 21
- Morning - Author Manuela Salvi meets second grades, followed by the "Cappuccetto Rotto" workshop
- Afternoon - Illustrator Clizia Brozzesi presents "La rivincita dei Mostri"
- Artistic workshop "Zoo Segreto", curated by the Start cultural association
- Training path on inclusive CAA communication
Friday, May 22
- Morning - Author Giorgia Simoncelli presents "Silvestro" to third grades
- "RobotArena": educational robotics experience in collaboration with MindSharing.tech
- Afternoon - Animated readings by Agesci Rocca Priora 1
- Presentation of the "Nati per Leggere" guide with Ottavia Murru
Saturday, May 23
- Author Vanessa Policicchio Rizzoli presents "Io so cosa fare", with a creative workshop
- "Mammalingua - one story, many languages": multicultural storytelling and multilingual readings
- Award ceremony of the "Scatta l'inclusione" photography contest
- Double performance of the shadow theater show "Pierino e il Lupo" by Gek Tessaro
Simultaneous translation in Italian Sign Language (LIS) throughout all days. Morning activities were reserved for schools; afternoon ones were open to the public.
Highlights Una Rocca a Colori 2026
- Paolo Di Paolo guest of honor, in dialogue with young readers
- The shadow theater show "Pierino e il Lupo" by Gek Tessaro, in double performance
- Simultaneous translation in Italian Sign Language for the entire duration of the festival
- "RobotArena", educational robotics workshop with MindSharing.tech
- "Mammalingua - one story, many languages": readings in multiple languages
- Award ceremonies for the "Voci a colori" literary contest and the "Scatta l'inclusione" photography contest
Prices Una Rocca a Colori 2026
Practical information — Una Rocca a Colori
Where it takes place
Monsignor Francesco Giacci Cultural Center, Via Mons. F. Giacci 2, 00079 Rocca Priora (RM), Lazio.
How to get there
By car: from the Rome Grande Raccordo Anulare, take exit 21-22 towards Via Tuscolana or Via Casilina, then follow signs for Rocca Priora (about 35 km from the center of Rome). Ample parking is available in Piazza Nassirya, a few minutes' walk from the venue.
By public transport: FL4 or FL6 train from Roma Termini to Frascati or Colonna, then Cotral bus to Rocca Priora. Alternatively, direct Cotral buses from the Anagnina Metro A terminus.
Admission and reservations
Free admission to all activities. Reservation is mandatory for workshops, which have limited spots. Phone: 06 99180087 ext. 10/1. Email: [email protected].
Tips
The program distinguishes between morning activities, reserved for schools, and afternoon ones open to the public: check the times before leaving. Rocca Priora is at an altitude of 768 meters, and even in May, evenings can be cool: a light jacket is recommended. In the surroundings, you can easily visit Frascati, Rocca di Papa, and Lake Nemi.
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Where does it take place — Una Rocca a Colori
Polo Culturale Monsignor Francesco Giacci
Via Mons. Francesco Giacci 2, 00079 Rocca Priora