In Apiro, in the Marche, Ferragosto is celebrated with swimming pools, towering slides, music and traditions from around the world. The Eldorado Water Park hosts the children's Mini Olympics and a grand Ferragosto show, while the Terranostra Festival brings international cultures and dances to the stage.
There's an exact moment in summer when Apiro becomes a meeting point between worlds that are distant and different, yet remarkably surprising.
Summer can give us both things at once: on one side, the must-have attractions, such as slides, pools and the simple urge to have fun; on the other, music, dance, traditional costumes and stories arriving from faraway countries that, for a few hours, find a home in the heart of the Marche.
This is the formula behind summer at the Eldorado Water Park, where even on the hottest days of the season the fun changes pace and is enriched with events for the whole family.
From the water to the world: folklore arrives at Eldorado
The connection with the local area and with the Terranostra International Folklore Festival, now in its 53rd edition, is one of the most original events of this summer. On 10 August, Eldorado Park welcomed the Ballet de Savoie, a French group rooted in the folk traditions of Savoy, bringing the atmosphere of the French Alps right into the pools and attractions of Eldorado. This is precisely what makes Terranostra special: turning folk dance into a journey. Argentina, Colombia, France, Easter Island, Serbia, Ukraine and Italy meet in Apiro through music, costumes and choreography.
A journey that requires no suitcase, only the curiosity to let yourself be surprised.
And after discovering the world through folklore, at Eldorado it's time to play again.
13 August: everyone competes in the Mini Olympics
On Thursday 13 August, Eldorado Water Park turns into a great arena dedicated to the little ones with the Children's Party – Mini Olympics. A day designed to let children experience sport in its most enjoyable form: one made of play, movement, challenges and, above all, the desire to be together. At Eldorado, sport is already a part of everyday life, with activities both in and out of the water, from aqua gym to aqua zumba, as well as entertainment programmes. The Mini Olympics add a dose of healthy competition, turning the day into a little family adventure.
Because here the question isn't just: "Which slide shall we go on first?".
It's also: "Who's going to win the next challenge?".
And then comes Ferragosto: music, spectacle and plenty of energy
But the real big event is on 15 August. For Ferragosto, Eldorado is preparing The Grand Ferragosto Show, an event designed to turn the park into a great stage. Music takes centre stage with a journey through the hits that have had several generations dancing, from the 1980s right up to the biggest successes of this 2026 season. It's the perfect way to experience Ferragosto, with a formula that works particularly well at Eldorado: pool and show, relaxation and music, children and adults swept up in the same great story.
And while some will choose to throw themselves down the Big Twins, the 115-metre kamikaze slides, others will simply find their own spot to relax among the park's greenery, pools and family areas.
A day that tells the story of the Marche
What's great about Eldorado is also what happens outside the water. The park is located in Apiro, in the province of Macerata, set within the landscape of the Marche and not far from the Monti Sibillini area. Here, a day at the park can become something of a mini travel experience: it starts with the attractions and the adrenaline of the slides, moves through music and shows, and ends with the discovery of a territory that has made hospitality and events one of its defining traits.
Over 30,000 square metres of grounds, more than 20 attractions and activities for different age groups, green areas, pools, a restaurant, a bar and spaces dedicated to children make Eldorado a destination designed for spending a whole day without needing to look anywhere else. And for those who want to stay longer, there's also the option of staying just a few steps from the park at the Hotel Eldorado.
Perhaps this is the best way to describe Eldorado. Not simply as a water park, but as a place where, over the course of a single summer's day, different things can happen all at once.
You can start with a dive, carry on with a slide, stop for lunch, watch a show, see artists and dancers arrive from far away, join in a game with the children and end the day singing along to songs you've known forever. In Apiro, summer rhymes not only with fun, but also with culture, encounters and a sense of place.
And as Ferragosto draws near, one thing is certain at Eldorado: Kiki and Eldo, the park's delightful mascots, are ready to welcome you in the hottest week of the year!
Find out more at parcoeldorado.it