Pordenone is gearing up for a vibrant season with an exceptionally packed programme of events just waiting to be enjoyed: from 20 March to 20 June, the city will be hosting ‘Primavera a Pordenone 2026’, featuring exhibitions, cultural festivals, music and theatre seasons, sporting events, celebrations of local traditions, and a range of leisure and tourism activities.
A diverse programme, capable of appealing to different audiences and bringing the local area to life for almost one hundred consecutive days: the tangible result of a joint effort between Pordenone City Council and the more than 80 local associations and organisations involved.
The City Council has sought to bring together this diverse range of voices under a single banner, following the well-established model of the seasonal festivals dedicated to summer and Christmas – a format that has proven its ability to showcase the local area and which, as part of the ‘Towards Pordenone 2027’ initiative, offers yet another opportunity to enjoy a city that knows how to welcome, engage and surprise its visitors.
CULTURAL FESTIVALS
The Fuorigioco programme, organised by the Eureka Cultural Society, opened the season a few days early with events dedicated to the great authors of literature. Among the highlights of the weekend is Dedica, the Thesis Association’s monographic festival, which this year focuses on the writer Sorj Chalandon. The Pordenone Docs Festival, organised by Cinemazero, is also drawing near, and there will be no shortage of evenings combining music and cinema with SpazioZeroJazz in the modern, multi-purpose venue next door. Also on the way are Pordenonepensa – The Festival of Dialogue and Terraè 2026, the seventeenth edition of the festival dedicated to issues of environmental and social sustainability.
EXHIBITIONS AND MUSEUMS
The exhibition scene in Pordenone is also particularly lively this year, with exhibitions spread across the city’s main cultural venues: at the Harry Bertoia Gallery, the photography exhibition dedicated to the great French master Robert Doisneau, *Lo Sguardo che racconta*, runs until Easter; whilst at the Civic Art Museum, there are exhibitions by contemporary photographers Stefanie Moshammer (also at the Mercati Culturali) and Olivia Arthur, whose photographs engage in a dialogue with the museum’s permanent collection on the upper floors. At the ‘Silvia Zennari’ Natural History Museum, Patrizio Maniero’s photographs take visitors on a journey through the biodiversity of Latin American fauna with *Images from the New World*. The Civic Museums have a packed programme of activities, including workshops and guided tours designed for all ages, and, by popular demand, ‘Easter at the Museum’ returns: fun and educational mornings for children aged 6 to 10 at the three Civic Museums on school holidays (Thursday 2nd, Friday 3rd and Tuesday 7th April).
The twelfth edition of the Valcellina Award is on display at the Civic Library – ‘Wake up!’, an international contemporary textile art competition organised by the association Le Arti Tessili APS. Coming soon: the opening of Patrick Frilet’s ‘The Troubles’ as part of the Dedica Festival, and in mid-April, ‘The Beauty of Imperfection’, curated by the Youth Section of the CRO in Aviano as part of ‘La cultura che cura’ (Culture that Heals), a project included in the Pordenone 2027 dossier. At the Palazzo del Fumetto, the exhibition dedicated to Lupo Alberto – l’Eroica Fifa Blu continues until May, alongside *Fiabaliberatutti! Un gioco tira l’altro, designed for children, families and illustration enthusiasts, organised in collaboration with Melarancia – Un posto per giocare. Also on the programme are the temporary exhibitions *Il bastardo a volte è un ragazzo formidabile che si arrende* and *Fragilità, i Magredi* by the Triathlon Team Association, not to mention the permanent exhibition at the International Museum of Comic Art. And that’s not all: following Lupo Alberto, from the end of May, the Palazzo del Fumetto will host a major exhibition dedicated to another leading figure in Italian comics, the details of which will be announced shortly.
The Diocesan Museum of Sacred Art is hosting the exhibition *Remembering Benedict XVI – Towards the Centenary of his Birth*, whilst the Sagittaria Gallery is hosting *DITTICO FVG #3 – ART BOOSTER*, curated by Boscolo/Rossetto and Sara Devetta. One of the season’s highlights is expected at Villa Cattaneo: the major exhibition ‘Miles Davis 100 – Listen to This!’, curated by Enrico Merlin for the Blues in Villa Association, complemented by a programme of accompanying events, both musical and otherwise. At the Palazzo Gregoris Cultural Centre, there is an exhibition by Mario Alimede, and in April at the Capitol, the immersive installation ‘Una Lunghissima Ombra’ by Andrea Laslo de Simone.
MUSIC AND THEATRE FESTIVALS
For lovers of live music, there is a truly wide and high-quality range of events on offer: Piano City Pordenone returns for its eighth edition, whilst for fans of more experimental sounds, the event to look out for is ExConventoLive, the electronic and avant-garde music festival organised by the Convivialia and Sonic Pro associations. There are also numerous events organised by the Filarmonica Città di Pordenone and various music festivals, ranging from the Segovia Guitar Festival organised by the Segovia Guitar Academy to the Polinote Music Festival organised by Polinote, from Ponti di Musica organised by Fadiesis to JazzInsieme organised by the Associazione Blues in Villa, right through to the Clarinet Festival organised by the Scuola di Musica Città di Pordenone. At the Capitol, concerts and theatre performances continue in collaboration with the Il Deposito Association, whilst the Giuseppe Verdi Theatre, as always, offers a packed programme curated by the Teatro Pordenone Association.
In the theatre sector, there is also *I Teatri della Gioventù*, organised in collaboration with the Scuola Sperimentale dell’Attore and Ortoteatro. Furthermore, the programme of events continues at the new Cinema Don Bosco, a project organised by the Panorama Association in collaboration with ASFO and Pordenone City Council: films for families and children, and the *Specchi e Finestre* film series dedicated to inclusivity.
LOCAL AREA AND LEISURE
There is also an extensive and varied programme dedicated to promoting the local area and leisure activities: for those who enjoy discovering the city from new perspectives, the Rotary Club and the Tourism Consortium are offering guided tours to explore the city’s treasures, ranging from nature to landscape architecture. Also on the programme are guided tours of the bell tower of St Mark’s Cathedral and a new addition: the ‘Pordenone: In the Footsteps of Antonio de Sacchis’ Open Day, a series of guided tours focusing on the churches of Sant’Ulderico in Villanova, San Lorenzo Martire in Rorai and Santi Ruperto e Leonardo in Vallenoncello, offering the chance to discover the treasures of this great Renaissance artist. March also sees the return of one of the public’s favourite events: the FAI National Spring Days, organised by the Pordenone branch, featuring special openings of museums, palaces and historic residences.
Those who prefer the charm of street markets, on the other hand, can choose between the events at the end of the month: the ‘Svuota Soffitte’, organised by the Associazione Proloco Pordenone APS, and the antiques market organised by Propordenone. There is no shortage of social and charity events, such as the Giornata Nazionale del Naso Rosso, nor opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors, from walks in the parks to the International Street Food event at Parco IV Novembre. The ‘Marcia in Blu’ is back again this year, with its accompanying events organised by the Pordenone Children and Autism Foundation – an event that combines sport, awareness-raising and community spirit. The city centre will also come alive with the European Market, whilst the Sardinian Festival will bring the island’s flavours and traditions to the heart of Pordenone. Rounding off the programme are the numerous trade fairs scheduled throughout the year.
EVENTS CELEBRATING FOLK TRADITIONS
There is also room for events rooted in local folk tradition; among the most eagerly awaited are the Fortajada, organised by Pro Loco Pordenone APS, and the Festa sul Noncel, organised jointly by Pro Loco Pordenone APS and Propordenone. Events at Parco San Valentino, organised by the Associazione San Valentino APS, are also a regular fixture.
SPORTING EVENTS
The sporting calendar features events of international stature and tournaments that have become part of the city’s history. Youth football takes centre stage with the 28th edition of the Gallini Cup – Città di Pordenone, an international tournament that attracts teams from all over the world, whilst in volleyball, the 44th Cornacchia World Cup International Tournament returns, alongside the 20th Città di Pordenone Tournament and the 15th Nicola Barattin Memorial. There is also the 6th Trofeo Emozione, organised by ASD Emozione. Off-road enthusiasts, meanwhile, can take part in the Gran Tour Pedemontana 2026, organised by Sottomarini 4x4 APS, whilst the world of dance will come together for the end-of-academic-year show by SSD Dance Mob SRL. The sporting calendar is set to expand further, with other initiatives still being finalised.
OTHER EVENTS
At the Civic Library, the Children’s Section’s series of events, ‘Piccole parole di carta senza barriere’ (Little Paper Words Without Barriers), continues, accompanied by conferences, readings and themed events both at the library and in the city’s museums. The events at the neighbourhood libraries are also lively and well-attended, designed to encourage people to come together around reading. There is also the 42nd edition of the Videocinema&Scuola Competition, organised by the Centre for Cultural Initiatives. Coming up in April is Faces at the Palazzo del Fumetto, the international festival dedicated to caricature. Finally, Piazza della Motta will come alive with performances by the new Teatro Urbano.
A DEDICATED WEBSITE
The calendar of spring events in Pordenone is constantly being updated, and many events are currently being planned. To stay up to date, we recommend visiting the dedicated website: Primavera a Pordenone | A Festival of Culture, Music and Events