Uva in Scena

Uva in Scena, the theatrical prelude to the Grape Festival

Uva in Scena is a traveling cultural festival held in the historic center of Verla di Giovo, a village in the municipality of Giovo, located in the Cembra Valley in the province of Trento (Trentino-Alto Adige). Created as a side event to the historic Grape Festival, this evening appointment takes place a few weeks before the major autumn celebration, recounting its soul, memories, and evolution through the language of theater and storytelling.

A journey through the village streets

The format is that of a widespread performance: the audience moves along the alleys and squares of Verla, stopping at various artistic stations set up by local associations. Each station offers a fragment of the long history of the allegorical float parades, which have enlivened the village since the late 1950s. Recurring elements of the event include:

• theatrical monologues and performances curated by the Filodrammatica di Verla;
• projections of unpublished slides from historical parades;
• original costumes preserved by the float-building groups;
• interviews and films featuring protagonists from various eras;
• dance moments and performances in collaboration with local groups.

Memories turned into spectacle

Each edition of Uva in Scena focuses on a different period or theme: from the 1980s and 1990s, marked by creative competition between float groups, to the 2000s, explored in the edition dedicated to the festival's expansion beyond its local borders. The result is a collective tribute to the village's past, a celebration of the present, and a preview of the main event, which is traditionally inaugurated on this very occasion.

The bond with the Grape Festival

The Grape Festival of Verla di Giovo is one of the most popular events in Trentino: it involves the Pro Loco of Giovo and over a dozen volunteer associations, with hundreds of volunteers dedicated to building floats and organizing the festivities. Uva in Scena serves as its cultural prelude, an opportunity to rediscover the community's history before the village lights up with colors, music, and parades. The event is free to attend and is aimed at both valley residents and visitors interested in the folk traditions of the Cembra Valley.