Riva Fiaba Festival Combines Pyrotechnics and Theater for Record Crowds

That fireworks shows are to tourists what honey is to bears — irresistible — was well known. What the organizers discovered with the Night of Fairytale 2000 was that the “full house,” the continuous celebration, could be repeated for three or four days. Never before, this year in particular, has the Fairytale succeeded in attracting such enormous crowds both in the preliminary events and in the finale.

New Formulas and Successes of the Festival

Thanks to the new approach (introduced two editions ago), which combines traditional pyrotechnics — a point of pride for Rivana — with large choreographies and street theater, success has soared. “Indeed, there are already some who — says Enzo Bassetti, president of the Fiaba Festival for nearly ten years — are asking us to extend the celebration for an entire week. I believe it’s possible, perhaps adding some additional pyrotechnic spectacles, but I also add that the festival’s value is not only in what operators earn during the event but also in the image it projects of Riva,” he explains.

If, however, the goal of the Fiaba, as demonstrated through theater performances, music, and children’s activities, truly remains a Week of Fiaba, what organizational challenges would need to be overcome? “We are proud to have our own dedicated headquarters,” Bassetti explains, “but frankly, with the new scope of the festival, the large papier-mâché setups, and the extensive work involved in setting them up, the biggest problem has become space.”

We need warehouses for working and storage, to keep equipment. I hope that this year, which has been truly commendable in terms of municipal support both in manpower and services, the city will provide us with disused warehouses from the Albola construction site,” he says. The event’s budget has reached 240 million lire. Is that a lot or a little?

“It’s the minimum necessary for a festival of this size with such significant ripple effects. Elsewhere, they would undoubtedly spend more, because fortunately here in Riva, the ‘mount of hours’ of volunteer work is still enormous, enthusiasm remains high, and solutions to various problems are found through great bursts of imagination and generosity.” Unless, of course, bureaucracy gets in the way…

“Yes, bureaucracy can sometimes be a problem. The Fiaba, to be clear, wants to respect all rules, but if the restrictions and red tape become too overwhelming, volunteering loses its spark and motivation,” he states. Does that mean volunteers might stop participating?

“No, we’re not at that level. Rivana residents and all our fans can sleep peacefully. In 2001, we’ll still be here working hard, as always. The applause from the public gives us motivation and quickly makes us forget the difficulties. We’re already thinking about Mary Poppins, the star of next summer’s Fiaba,” he concludes.