Festa dei popoli

Sunday, September 20, from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., the journey of discovery and cultural exchange returns to Locarno, spanning over thirty villages. Numerous food, craft, and information stalls, along with shows, workshops, and many other activities for all ages, will enliven the Piazza Grande, bringing to life the traditional multiethnic day of the Festa dei Popolo. This year's event will be held under the slogan "Seeds of solidarity, fruits of community" and, in honor of the International Year of Volunteering, registration is also open to associations active in the Locarno area in various fields of volunteering: social work, youth and sports activities, health, international cooperation, art and culture, and environmental protection.

The Piazza will transform into a vast global stage with some forty stalls: from Japanese, Eritrean, Thai, Vietnamese, Kurdish, Filipino, Palestinian, Middle Eastern, Bosnian, Kenyan, Serbian, Ukrainian, Indian, Yakut, Macedonian, Brazilian, and Venezuelan dishes to multi-ethnic offerings, including numerous information stands from local associations and organizations. There will also be a refreshment area, a refreshment stand run by the Locarno Youth Center, and a Workshop, Games, and Stories space for children.

The on-stage program, presented by Radio Ticino, is also packed: it begins at 11:00 a.m. with the opening ceremony and greetings and songs from here and elsewhere by the Jeans Group, continuing with Brazilian capoeira and dances and songs from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ukraine, Macedonia, Japan, Serbia, and the Philippines, with a samba and axé show, children's music from around the world by the Calicantus Choir, songs and sounds from Yakutia, flamenco, and Cuban salsa. At 6:30 p.m., the closing concert will be performed this year by Musica Cittadina di Locarno.

In case of severe weather, the event will be canceled.

The Festa dei Popolo is organized by the City of Locarno with the support of the Cantonal Integration Program (PIC) of the Department of Institutions of the Canton of Ticino. It is certified "It's Ready" in collaboration with Radix Svizzera Italiana and is made possible thanks to the collaboration with the Locarno Intermunicipal Youth Commission (CIGL) and ECAP, the media collaboration with Radio Ticino, which will also provide professional stage presentations, and the technical collaboration with Light-Sound and InElettra. In addition, there is the invaluable contribution of various associations and volunteers who have made themselves available to organize the event.