Scarabocchi Festival Returns to Novara for Fifth Edition

The fifth edition of Scarabocchi, a festival celebrating the free and instinctive gesture of doodling, will take place from September 16 to 18 at the Broletto in Novara, Italy. Organized by Doppiozero and Fondazione Circolo dei lettori, the event invites children and adults to engage with colors, pencils, and brushes to express their inner selves, dreams, and desires. The theme this year is 'In gioco: figure e parole' (At Play: Figures and Words), exploring the dual Latin origins of 'game'—iocus (joke, wordplay) and ludus (play in action). Curator Marco Belpoliti explains that the program balances talks emphasizing language with workshops focused on playful action. Highlights include a puzzle library curated by Associazione il Tarlo featuring traditional games and brain teasers; a bookshop curated by Libreria Lazzarelli and Libreria La Talpa with works by guests such as Francesco Tullio Altan (creator of Pimpa), illustrator Guido Scarabottolo, Olimpia Zagnoli, and artist Ale Puro; a doodle corner for children; board games from Libreria Cappuccetto giallo; and portrait sessions by Scuola Internazionale di Comics.