Palermo is preparing a Christmas that looks at the entire city, from the historic center to the suburbs. In fact, the municipal administration has defined a program that includes events, light installations and cultural activities also in the areas recently affected by extraordinary controls, such as Teatro Massimo, Piazza Olivella, Vucciria and the lower stretch of Via Maqueda.
From 7 December, the date of the lighting of the Tree in Piazza Castelnuovo, the Christmas program will take shape through artistic installations, musical programming and activities.
One of the most significant innovations concerns the adoption of decorative devices inspired by the identity languages of the city.
- Within the UNESCO perimeterthe illuminations will recall the motifs of the Arab-Norman heritage.
- Along Via Libertàhowever, the lighting system will follow a decidedly Liberty design.
A digital nativity scene, projected on the neoclassical stage of the monumental garden in Piazza Castelnuovo, will complete the scenic image in the heart of the city.
A strategic choice of the administration is not to marginalize the so-called “red zones” – Teatro Massimo, Piazza Olivella, Vucciria market, Via Maqueda towards the station – which in recent weeks have been the subject of extraordinary checks by the police.
The events planned in these places aim to testify to a principle of institutional presence, civil continuity and restitution of public space to the community.
Mayor Roberto Lagalla underlines how the objective is to “give life to a festive period capable of including every neighborhood, creating meeting opportunities and enhancing the social and cultural plurality of the city”.
Alongside the initiatives in the historic centre, the Municipality plans a range of activities distributed in the decentralized neighbourhoods, with particular attention to peripheral areas such as Zen, where concerts, markets and workshop initiatives are planned. The official program will be released in full in the next few days.
The large Christmas tree, donated by a private partner (Autosystem), will be inaugurated on December 7th. The square – finally freed from the construction sites of the railway ring – will once again become one of the main centers of the Christmas holidays.
In the same space, operations will begin for the New Year’s concert, which this year will be financed with 500 thousand euros deriving from the tourist tax. The artistic direction selected is that of Gomad Concertswhich he will bring to the stage Arisa e The Kolors.
Events promoted by private entities are added to the municipal programming:
- Palermo Christmas Village at the Mediterranean Fair (from 6 December), with the expansion of the ice rink;
- ChristmasLandia at Villa Filippina;
- the Citadel of Christmas of Artigianando, now in its third edition.
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