Average reading time: 3 minutes

His supply live events and performances in Italian amusement parks: in the heart of the summer season, the data recorded byAssociation of Permanent Italian Parks-Federturismo they show a clearly accelerating trend, in the pattern of what has already been happening for some time in many foreign parks.

It is estimated that, until the end of 2023will have the structures of the beautiful country invested a total of more than 15 million euros in sets, scenography, special effects, costumes and of course artist engagements from around the world.

These are accompanied by the relevant trade agreements concerts and music festivals that take place within the parks, especially often this summer.

Related items, which add up to “beyond 120 million have already been spent in 2023 in new attractions and expansions, confirming her dynamism of the sector.

“The relationship between amusement parks and shows – he says Luciano Pareschi, president of the Italian Association of Permanent Parks – was already integrated in the 1950s with Disneyland and today finds one of its greatest expressions in the experience of Puy du Fou, a French park with 2 million visitors a year, based exclusively on offering shows with mammoth productions, thousands of extras and innovative scenographic solutions. Today even Italian parks have understood the value of this element of entertainment and they offer a quality offer that often exceeds the expectations of the public: in many cases the shows have become real attractions, such as walks».

Protagonists on stage and the soul of the entertainment are cast of professional artists, mostly acrobats, jugglers, dancers and performers From all over the world, with a background connected to the world of dance, theater and circus.

In most cases, the shows are internal production: specialized departments coordinate writers, directors, musicians and choreographers, and take care of the creation of sets and costumes. In other cases, the shows are produced by outside companies, among the best known and most qualified, catering to all the live entertainment industries, which include over 1,500 people, at a time of year when theaters and other businesses are closed.

The result is a heterogeneous set of proposals, reduced according to the formula of each parkaiming to engage an ever-widening audience of visitors by age group and interest: it ranges from musicals to recitals, from acrobatic shows to parades, to traveling cartoons and acrobatics, to name but a few.

Added to these are mini-live shows for children, children’s dances and meet and greets with characters from the fantasy world. All supported by one generous dose of technology and special effects, including video mapping, fireworks and water games, for an increasingly immersive experience.

The constant search for stimuli and innovations capable of surprising and surprising the public is accompanied by monitoring satisfaction and expectations of the spectators. For this reason, the schedules are updated frequently: unlike the rides, the show is a flexible product, which can be configured according to the changing seasons within the park, and therefore becomes a tool for maintaining the audience and his invitation to come back again and again. At the same time, the offer of performances in theaters and arenas allows this decongest the flow of guests to attractions during peak hours and diversify the range of offers and attractions during the day, also lengthening people’s stay in the park.

The effort put into production results in a growing public appreciation who take advantage of the shows to relax and alternate the stress of adrenaline-pumping rides with an experience that is just as emotionally exciting, if less physically exhausting.

“From our analysis – he comments Maurice Crisantinational secretary of the Italian Association of Permanent Parks – it seems that the aspects most appreciated by the public are the presence of live singers, the quality of the costumes and the search for innovative solutions in scenography and choreography. The only real limit is related to investments. The show has to exceed expectations and live up to the other attractions – this requires one significant production effort».

“Only the big parks have the resources to produce the shows in-house. These recreational activities should find more attention in the Ministry of Culture, – he concludes – if we consider that in Italy there are parks that have more than 2.5 million euros for the production of shows, much more than many other bodies supported by the National Fund for Live Entertainment. The productions have reached a very high quality and internationally known artists and ensembles participate.”