UpStories – Growing with Stories

UpStories, the youth festival in Caiazzo

UpStories – Growing with Stories is the first festival in the province of Caserta entirely conceived, designed, and organized by young people under 25 from the Alto Casertano area. The event took place in Caiazzo, a small village in the province of Caserta, Campania, transforming the historic center for three days into a widespread laboratory of ideas, words, and encounters. At the heart of the project lies a clear conviction: stories—those of people who have succeeded, those of local territories, and those yet to be written—are a powerful tool for personal and collective growth.

A festival conceived and organized by the under-25s

What makes UpStories a rare case in the landscape of Campanian events is its entirely youth-led nature. The initiative was spearheaded by founders Giuseppe Di Sorbo and Elisabetta Daniele, along with a group of young people under 25 gathered around the promoting association Futuramente APS. The festival is supported by the Municipality of Caiazzo and the collaboration of local entities and associations. The stated goal is to enhance the leadership of new generations and promote culture as a driver for community dialogue and participation.

The program: three days between Teatro Jovinelli and Palazzo Mazziotti

The two main venues for the first edition were the Teatro Jovinelli and the 17th-century Palazzo Mazziotti. The opening day featured former basketball champion Linton Johnson on stage with the motivational talk «Get In The Game: five moves to become unstoppable», followed by a dialogue with Claudio Gubitosi, founder of the Giffoni Film Festival, aimed at students from the Liceo P. Giannone. The second day featured the roundtable «YoungNe(x)t – Youth in comparison» with local associations and, in the afternoon, the highly anticipated meeting «The Pizza Champion» with pizzaiolo Franco Pepe and the editorial character Geronimo Stilton. The closing day combined the ClaudiArt ceramics workshop, the meeting «Talents and Territory» dedicated to financial literacy, and the grand finale at the theater with «My Routine» by Neapolitan comedian Daniele Ciniglio.

Guests and testimonials

The common thread of the festival is the sharing of real experiences. Sports, cinema, gastronomy, children's literature, and comedy alternate in a program that aims to bring young people closer to stories of success and commitment, offering opportunities for direct interaction with protagonists from the worlds of culture, communication, and entrepreneurship. There are also plenty of events designed for children and families, with readings, workshops, and recreational activities.

Caiazzo and the Alto Casertano

Hosting such a festival in Caiazzo is no coincidence: the village in the Alto Casertano, overlooking the Volturno valley, is already known for its gastronomic vocation and a historical heritage that deserves to be discovered. UpStories adds a participatory and generational dimension to this identity, bringing to the province of Caserta a model of an event where young people take the floor and literally build the future of their community.