Castelbuono è una Favola, children's theatre

Castelbuono è una Favola is the theatre festival for children and families in Castelbuono. It takes place in early July, between the Parco delle Rimembranze and a few streets in the centre, and all the shows are free and suitable for ages 4 and up. In 2026 it ran from Wednesday 1 to Sunday 5 July: for the first time, five days in a row.

It is promoted by the Comune di Castelbuono, with artistic direction by Giuseppe Vignieri and organisation by the Compagnia I Trovatori. In 2025 it reached its 29th edition.

How it works

In the afternoon the shows move around the neighbourhoods: in 2026 there were performances in Largo Suor Rosina La Grua (at the corner of Via Benedettini and Via Ypsigro), in Via Petagna and in Via Leonardo Piraino. In the evening everyone meets in the Parco delle Rimembranze, the heart of the festival, for the visiting companies’ show.

Part of the programme is made by the village’s own children. These are the end-of-year performances of the “Pronti, sipario!” theatre workshop, which the Compagnia I Trovatori runs during the year with Castelbuono’s girls and boys. It is the moment when the workshop gives a year’s work back to the village.

The 2026 programme

These are some of the shows and activities of the 2026 edition, from the programme published by Madonie Press and Castelbuonolive:

Show or activity	Who	Where and when
Mata e Grifone	Compagnia Teatro dei 3 Mestieri	Parco delle Rimembranze, 21:00
Cappuccetto Rozzo	Compagnia La Casa di Creta	Parco delle Rimembranze, 21:00
Il Mago di Oz	students of Stefania Sperandeo’s workshop	Parco delle Rimembranze, 20:30
La Disavventura di Pinocchio and Le avventure di Giufà	“Pronti, sipario!” students	Largo Suor Rosina La Grua
Sogno di una notte di mezza estate	Piccolo Teatro Patafisico	Via Petagna, 17:30
Il paese delle meraviglie	Utopia Piccola Società Teatrale	Via Leonardo Piraino, 17:30
Il filo invisibile, creative reading workshop	3EMME	Parco delle Rimembranze, 18:30
Le tracce del sole, cyanotype exhibition and demonstration	Francesco Norata and Stefano Minutella	Eremo di Liccia, Saturday 4 July at 10:00
Walk in the Madonie woods	Agesci Castelbuono 1 scout group	starting from the Eremo di Liccia, Sunday 5 July at 10:00

The two mornings at the Eremo di Liccia are a way to get out of the village with children without going far. If you want to walk more, there is the walk in the Bosco di Castelbuono, from Piano Sempria to the giant holly trees.

Past editions

The dates change every year but always fall in the first half of July:

• 2026: 1 to 5 July, five days from Wednesday to Sunday;
• 2025: 10 to 13 July, 29th edition, with an intensive theatre camp at the Seminario Vescovile supported by the Fondazione Sicilia and the show “Narrastorie” in the Santa Croce quarter;
• 2024: 4 to 7 July, 28th edition, with two talks for adults at the Badia.

Practical tips

Castelbuono is about 23 km from Cefalù (25 minutes) and about 90 km from Palermo (1 hour 20), according to our calculation on OpenStreetMap without traffic. The programme does not mention dedicated parking: the shows are in the centre, within walking distance of each other.

For the night there is the list of where to stay in Castelbuono; for dinner with children, where to eat in Castelbuono. The evening shows are outdoors, so check the Castelbuono weather.

Castelbuono’s summer continues with the feast of Sant’Anna at the end of July, the Ypsigrock Festival and the Castelbuono Jazz Festival in August. All the dates are on the Castelbuono events page.