# Politium Circus in Polizzi Generosa > Politium Circus is Polizzi Generosa's contemporary circus and literature festival in July: street shows, the Murga del Genio band, books and evening acts. - Page: https://www.lemadonie.it/en/events/politium-circus/ - Updated: 2026-10-19 - Other languages: [Italiano](https://www.lemadonie.it/eventi/politium-circus.md) · [Español](https://www.lemadonie.it/es/eventos/politium-circus.md) · [Français](https://www.lemadonie.it/fr/evenements/politium-circus.md) · [Deutsch](https://www.lemadonie.it/de/veranstaltungen/politium-circus.md) ## At a glance | | | |---|---| | 2026 edition | 25 July 2026 | | Where | Corso Garibaldi and the old town streets, town library, Spazio Alavò, [Polizzi Generosa](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/villages/polizzi-generosa/) | | Category | Culture | | Recurrence | Every year, second half of July, one to three days | | Price | Street shows free; evening at Spazio Alavò with a token fee of 2 euros (2026 edition) | | Source | https://www.madoniepress.it/2026/07/18/polizzi-generosa-capitale-del-circo-contemporaneo-torna-il-politium-circus/ (checked on 2026-10-19) | ## Programme 5th edition. At 10 am the guided tour "Le Madonie raccontate da Polizzi" with a taste of sfoglio (booking required); at 11:30 the presentation of the book "Il Circo Frimer" by Vincenzo Tumminello; from 6:30 pm the Murga del Genio di Palermo along Corso Garibaldi; in the evening at Spazio Alavò the shows by Gianmarco Amato (9:30 pm) and Salvo Cappello (10:30 pm), with a token fee of 2 euros. Politium Circus is the contemporary circus and literature festival of Polizzi Generosa. It takes place in the second half of July and fills the old town with clowns, jugglers, acrobats and the Murga del Genio di Palermo percussion band, plus book presentations, storytelling and evening shows at Spazio Alavò. Street shows are free or "pass the hat". The fifth edition was held on 25 July 2026. ## When is it held? Recent editions have all fallen in the second half of July. The length has changed: three days in 2024, two in 2025, one full day in 2026. | Year | Edition | Dates | |---|---|---| | 2026 | 5th | 25 July | | 2025 | 4th | 19-20 July | | 2024 | 3rd | 19-21 July | ## A festival hosted by the town What sets the Politium Circus apart, according to [Madonie Press](https://www.madoniepress.it/2026/07/18/polizzi-generosa-capitale-del-circo-contemporaneo-torna-il-politium-circus/), is its relationship with the people who live there. Polizzi families host the performers in their homes, cook for them, give them produce from their land and offer them sfoglio, the town's traditional cake. The festival brings circus and words together. In 2025 there were photographs by Martina Polito, Pino D'Angelo and Michele Tumminello of past editions, presentations of circus-themed books and circus tales told by Moffo Schimmenti and other storytellers ([Balarm](https://www.balarm.it/eventi/torna-il-politium-circus-arte-circense-musica-e-sorrisi-invadono-polizzi-generosa-139692)). In 2024 there were more than twenty performers from all over Italy, with clowning, acrobatics, aerial silks, fakir acts and soap bubbles. ## The 2026 programme The fifth edition, on a Saturday in July, went like this. | Time | What and where | |---|---| | 10 am | Guided tour "Le Madonie raccontate da Polizzi e il senso di un festival di circo a quasi mille metri di altezza", about two hours, with a taste of sfoglio (booking by the day before) | | 11:30 am | Presentation of the book "Il Circo Frimer" by Vincenzo Tumminello, Emporio Biologico Verbumcaudo, Corso Garibaldi | | Late morning | Donation of books and a painting of the Circo Frimer to the town library | | 6:30 pm | Murga del Genio parade along Corso Garibaldi, clown noses for children and a wine tasting | | Evening | At Spazio Alavò: a show for adults, a short film, an exhibition by illustrator Giza | | 9:30 pm | "Ci vuole calma" by Gianmarco Amato, for children aged six and up | | 10:30 pm | "Miniminagghie" by Salvo Cappello, ages eight and up | For the evening shows at Spazio Alavò the token fee was 2 euros. ## Practical tips Polizzi Generosa sits at 917 metres. From Palermo it's about 85 km and an hour and 20 minutes, via the Scillato exit on the A19 and then the SS643 (see [getting to the Madonie by car](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/roads/)). Sources don't mention dedicated car parks. If you come for the evening, stay overnight: you'll find places on [where to stay in Polizzi Generosa](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/villages/polizzi-generosa/where-to-stay/) and restaurants on [where to eat in Polizzi Generosa](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/villages/polizzi-generosa/where-to-eat/). For the weather, check the [Polizzi Generosa forecast](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/weather/polizzi-generosa/). The rest of the town is on the [Polizzi Generosa page](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/villages/polizzi-generosa/). In August the [Sagra delle Nocciole](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/events/sagra-delle-nocciole-hazelnut-festival-polizzi-generosa/) returns. If you like street theatre, at the end of July Pollina hosts the [Valdemone Festival](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/events/valdemone-festival/); other events are on the [Madonie cultural events](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/events/culture/) page. ## Frequently asked questions ### When is the Politium Circus held? The Politium Circus takes place in Polizzi Generosa in the second half of July. In 2026 the fifth edition lasted one day, 25 July; in 2025 it was held on 19 and 20 July, in 2024 from 19 to 21 July. The dates of the next edition have not yet been announced. ### How much does the Politium Circus cost? Street shows are free or "pass the hat", and Balarm listed the festival as free in 2024 and 2025. In 2026 the evening shows at Spazio Alavò asked for a token contribution of 2 euros. The morning guided tour required booking. ### Is the Politium Circus suitable for children? The festival has children very much in mind. In 2026 clown noses were handed out to children during the Murga del Genio parade, and the evening show by Gianmarco Amato was designed for ages six and up, Salvo Cappello's for ages eight and up. In 2025 there were also circus workshops for the youngest. ### What is Polizzi's sfoglio? Sfoglio is the traditional cake of Polizzi Generosa. During the festival local people offer it to the performers, whom they host in their homes, and in 2026 it was included in the tasting on the morning guided tour with Giovanni Macaluso and Enrico Cerami, booked by the day before. ### What makes the Politium Circus different from other circus festivals? Its bond with the town: according to Madonie Press, in Polizzi Generosa residents open their homes to the performers, cook for them and offer them sfoglio. The festival combines contemporary circus with literature, with circus-themed book presentations, storytelling and photo exhibitions about past editions. ## Sources - [Madonie Press, programma della 5ª edizione (2026)](https://www.madoniepress.it/2026/07/18/polizzi-generosa-capitale-del-circo-contemporaneo-torna-il-politium-circus/) - [Balarm, 4ª edizione (2025)](https://www.balarm.it/eventi/torna-il-politium-circus-arte-circense-musica-e-sorrisi-invadono-polizzi-generosa-139692) - [Balarm, 3ª edizione (2024)](https://www.balarm.it/eventi/politium-circus-a-polizzi-generosa-l-arte-circense-invade-il-borgo-sulle-madonie-132878) --- Markdown version of the page https://www.lemadonie.it/en/events/politium-circus/, from Le Madonie (lemadonie.it), an independent guide to the Madonie. Facts with source and date of check.