Pupi & Pini 2026 - Street theater review

Pupi & Pini 2026: The Magic of Puppet and Street Theater in Lignano Sabbiadoro! For over thirty years, the golden beaches and lush pine forests of Lignano Sabbiadoro have provided the perfect backdrop for Pupi & Pini, the historic puppet and street theater festival that brightens the summer for thousands of tourists. This year, for its 32nd edition, the event expands across the territory, touching upon the city's most charming locations.

While Hemingway Park remains the beating heart and ideal outdoor stage for this theatrical magic, the festival will also bring stories and wonder to several other key spots in Lignano:

• Piazza del Sole in Lignano Pineta
• The Public Library (Biblioteca Comunale)
• Piazza Ursella in Lignano City
• Unicef Park in Lignano Riviera

A world of imagination for the whole family

The festival features a special lineup of family-friendly events, with multiple simultaneous shows and replicas so you won't miss a single moment. This year's core theme is the fascinating bond between children's literature and live performance. Thanks to a lineup of highly talented and professional artists, the shows will span across:

• Oral tradition fairy tales
• Great literary classics
• Contemporary novels and stories

The enchantment of animated figures

The magic of Puppet Theater lies in its simplicity: simple materials like cloth, wood, and foam rubber come alive as puppets that steal the spotlight, making us completely forget the puppeteers behind the scenes. It is an enchantment renewed with every performance: the animated figure breaks the boundaries of everyday reality to take us into a world of pure emotion and wonder. A unique bond is born between the audience and the puppet, captivating children and making adults dream.

Useful info: Admission to all shows is free. 

Summer 2026 programming

It is possible to download the complete programming in the area below in the download section.
 

July 2026

Monday, July 6 (9:30 PM) | Piazzetta del Sole

• Show: CIRCUS CICLO CLUB – Duo Ma'Mè Circus
• Description: An exhilarating and clumsy pair of cyclists brings a thrilling, high-energy show to life, blending comedy and circus arts. Featuring acrobatic bicycles, aerial acts, hand-to-hand balancing, roue cyr, and handstands, the performance unfolds into a fluid, ever-changing choreography where high technical skill and mutual trust meet poetry and imagination.

Wednesday, July 8 (9:30 PM) | Hemingway Park

• Show: IL CANTO MAGICO DELLA FORESTA (The Magic Song of the Forest) – Artisti Associati
• Description: Deep in the African forest, young Amilù wants to sing at her village festival, but she is completely out of tune. A magical, talking vase capable of capturing any sound comes to her aid, leading her to explore the forest and meet various animals (such as a crane, Stive the snake, and a hoopoe). By mimicking their sounds, Amilù composes a beautiful, original melody, turning her return to the village into a triumph.

Monday, July 13 (9:30 PM) | Unicef Park

• Show: QUEL DIAVOLO DI ARLECCHINO (That Devil Harlequin) – Compagnia Bambabambin
• Description: Before becoming the silly and good-natured servant of the Commedia dell'Arte, Harlequin had a glorious and terrifying past among the infernal hosts. Known by names such as Alichino or Hellequin, his origins are rooted in the myth of the Wild Hunt—a horde of spirits that terrorized the nights of Northern Europe. This show retraces the history of the world's most famous mask, reinterpreting it with a modern, ironic twist and a simple, fun language.

Wednesday, July 15 (9:30 PM) | Hemingway Park

• Show: IL BRUTTO ANATROCCOLO (The Ugly Duckling) – TiEffeU
• Description: A large, three-dimensional pop-up book comes alive on stage, animated by bright foam rubber figures and vibrant colors. Through the charm of the fairy tale, this classic yet highly relevant story tackles deep themes like racism, discrimination, and conformity with irony and metaphors, celebrating diversity as a virtue. An educational and entertaining experience.

Thursday, July 16 (5:30 PM) | Public Library

• Show: LA PRINCIPESSA SPLENDENTE (The Shining Princess) – Luca Zalateu with Serena Vizzutti
• Description: One morning, a bamboo cutter and his wife found a baby girl born from a bamboo stalk and raised her as their own daughter with great love. But where did this little creature come from? And why did she come to Earth? Adapted from an ancient Japanese fairy tale, this story speaks of deep connections, freedom, and the importance of feeling alive. Original and improvised music played on the harp and percussion instruments creates a soundscape that carries the audience through bamboo forests and lunar skies. (Part of the "La strada dei libri passa da..." festival – LeggiAMO 0-18 Project).

Monday, July 20 (9:30 PM) | Hemingway Park

• Show: DI LÀ DAL MARE (Beyond the Sea) – Compagnia Walter Broggini and Ortoteatro
• Description: Berto the librarian falls asleep by the seashore and wakes up in an unknown land. This marks the beginning of a mysterious sea voyage to discover new cultures, habits, and traditions, all centered around sharing. During his journey, Berto tells bizarre and funny stories using a mix of different puppetry and narration techniques, reflecting the variety of people he encounters.

Wednesday, July 22 (9:30 PM) | Hemingway Park

• Show: NARDO IL GHEPARDO ALLE ZOOLIMPIADI (Nardo the Cheetah at the Zoolympics) – Teatro Invito
• Description: Nardo the cheetah, snubbed by the other big cats, is training for the Zoolympics. With the help of his friend Ugo the owl, Nardo joins forces with an ostrich, a wildebeest, and an ibex to form an unbeatable racing team. Through original songs and the creative use of props on stage, actors Gabriele Vollaro and Riccardo Giordano present an animal fable that mirrors human relationships.

Monday, July 27 (9:30 PM) | Piazza Ursella

• Show: SENTI CHE MUSICA! (Listen to that Music!) – Ortoteatro
• Description: A bold challenge: singing and storytelling through the songs of great Italian songwriters like Fabrizio De André, Francesco Guccini, and Giorgio Gaber for an audience aged 4 to 99. The core theme is living well on our planet, focusing on peace, protecting nature, and poetry in music. Iconic stories and songs come to life and are performed and played with the help of the audience, keeping it poetic, emotional, and fun without ever becoming trivial.

August 2026

Monday, August 3 (9:00 PM) | Unicef Park

• Show: HANSEL E GRETEL – Granteatrino di Bari
• Description: The company brings one of the Grimm brothers' most famous fairy tales to the stage, combining traditional glove puppetry and large puppets with the unmistakable style and drawings of illustrator Nicoletta Costa, who designed the sets and characters. The show blends magical atmospheres with pure fun and classic puppet gags, while addressing deep childhood emotions such as the fear of abandonment, loneliness, and being eaten.

Wednesday, August 5 (9:00 PM) | Hemingway Park

• Show: LA FIABA DI RE ORCONE E DELLA MAGICA POZIONE (The Tale of King Ogre and the Magic Potion) – C'è un Asino che Vola - Ortoteatro
• Description: Carlotta and Carletto are two children who, threatened by the wicked King Ogre, are forced to flee into the forest to escape his cooking pot. After various adventures, and with the help of the kind Ogre Gigione and the potions of the friendly dwarf Mistura, the two friends manage to defeat the evil ogre, restoring peace and justice to the kingdom. The show is based on an original fairy tale written for the company by Tinin Mantegazza, a renowned theater director and TV author (creator of the puppet Dodò from the RAI show L'Albero Azzurro).

Monday, August 10 (6:30 PM and 9:00 PM) | Public Library

• Show: LETTURE IN 3D (3D Readings) – Fondazione AIDA
• Description: A brand-new way to experience stories through Binaural 3D Audio technology. By wearing headphones, children will be catapulted right into the center of the narrative, surrounded by three-dimensional sounds and special effects centered around the theme "Fairy Tales of Peace and Friendship". Designed for children aged 5 to 9. Limited seats; reservation is recommended via WhatsApp at +39 320.0530007.

Wednesday, August 12 (9:00 PM) | Piazzetta del Sole

• Show: CARAVAN CIRCUS – Barbamoccolo
• Description: What happens when a circus caravan that looks straight out of a storybook or a Fellini movie arrives in town? Quite simply, fantasy meets the magic of real life! A chest full of wonders, bringing a breath of joy and entertainment with jugglers, acrobats, and clowns.

Monday, August 17 (9:00 PM) | Hemingway Park

• Show: IL GATTO CON GLI STIVALI (Puss in Boots) – Bottega Buffa Circo Vacanti
• Description: At the edge of a dark forest wanders a cold and hungry young boy. His father has just passed away, leaving him nothing in his will but... a cat. But this cat can talk, he is no ordinary feline, and the very first thing he asks Costantino for is a pair of boots. The young boy, whether he understands the plan or not, complies, and by handing over the boots, he puts his fortune into the cat's paws (and he won't regret it).

Wednesday, August 19 (9:00 PM) | Unicef Park

• Show: LE AVVENTURE DI PINOCCHIO (The Adventures of Pinocchio) – Compagnia Il Cerchio Tondo
• Description: A puppet show for the whole family adapting the classic tale of Pinocchio. Through a lively narrative full of audience interaction, the story's most beloved characters come to life, from Geppetto to the Fox and the Cat. The staging combines traditional puppet theater with a large, transformable booth operated by two puppeteers, enriching Pinocchio's journey with original music and painted backdrops inspired by Van Gogh.

Monday, August 24 (9:00 PM) | Hemingway Park

• Show: IL GRANDE SHOW DEI CUCCIOLI (Cuccioli e il dinosauro di Maga Cornacchia) – Gruppo Alcuni and Rai Kids
• Description: A theatrical production celebrating the beloved cartoon broadcast on Rai Yoyo and Rai Play. The story follows Capi, the Assistant, and the Puppies (Cuccioli) as they team up to save the Park of Talking Trees from the wicked plans of Maga Cornacchia and her terrible dinosaur. Featuring the official costumed mascots, children will have the unique chance to meet their favorite characters up close, interacting, singing, and dancing along.

Wednesday, August 26 (9:00 PM) | Piazza Ursella

• Show: CANZONCINE (Little Songs) – Compagnia Carlo Pastori
• Description: A true concert-party designed to engage the entire family, from children to grandparents. The storyteller, alone on stage with his accordion, a few props, and a couple of hats, performs a repertoire of children's songs built over a decade. Through musical animation techniques, the show plays with the audience to create a joyful, lively, and shared atmosphere.

Monday, August 31 (9:00 PM) | Hemingway Park

• Show: IL PRINCIPE RANOCCHIO (The Frog Prince) – Compagnia Amaltheatro
• Description: A sleepy King and a princess find their peace disrupted by the arrival of a clumsy frog at the castle. To make matters worse, a witch disguised as a butler gets involved. Will the friendly frog manage to win over the young princess? Who can he turn to for help if not his puppeteer friend? A comic-modern reinterpretation of the famous Brothers Grimm fairy tale.