by Maximiliano Crocamo
Interview: Monica Canciani, Founder of Famiglie in Movimento
Trieste’s annual family sports festival, Famiglie in Movimento (“Families in Motion”), returns for its fifth edition on Saturday, Sept. 5, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Polisportiva Opicina, Via degli Alpini 128.
Admission is free, with only food and beverages available for purchase.
Launched in 2022, the one-day event began as an idea by Monica Canciani, originally conceived as a fitness gathering before evolving into a family-centered festival in collaboration with children’s event organizer Simona Pilotti. It has grown from 11 participating sports associations in its inaugural edition to more than 30 this year. Organizers say last year’s event attracted approximately 1,300 visitors.
Supported by funding from the Regione Friuli Venezia Giulia, this year’s program features activities ranging from chess, kung fu, judo, rugby, flag football, mountain biking and pickleball to zumba, fitness classes, orienteering and martial arts for adults.
Among the new attractions for 2026, Trieste’s Circolo Culturale Astrofili will invite children to build a “space station” using recycled plastic bottles, while Associazione Scout San Giorgio will offer pioneering and camping games. The historic swim club Rari Nantes, founded in 1930, will also host children’s pool sessions for the first time.
A free lottery will reward participation rather than purchases. Children receive a ticket each time they try a new sport, increasing their chances of winning one of 20 prizes in a drawing scheduled for 3 p.m.
For the first time, the festival will continue into the evening with a barbecue dinner beginning at 8 p.m., followed by a cabaret performance by El Mago de Umago and live music from Paolo Patuanelli.
Speaking via video link from Udine, Regional Councillor Pierpaolo Roberti described Famiglie in Movimento as part of Friuli Venezia Giulia’s broader commitment to promoting sport and physical activity through continued investment in local sports infrastructure.
Roberti said the greater challenge is not encouraging children to begin playing sports, but ensuring they remain active through adolescence, university and adult life. He also linked regular physical activity to healthier aging, arguing that an active population contributes to both individual wellbeing and a more sustainable regional healthcare system.
