The seasonal programme kicks off on 8 December at 16:30 with the much-awaited lighting of the great Christmas tree in Piazza Plebiscito, the ultimate symbol of the season. The big novelty this year will be the lighting of the North Star which together with the Tree, will illuminate the city on the long dark nights of late December. The event will be all the more magical when the Father Christmas Band strikes up, when the acrobats of the Compagnia Alchimia perform and by the music played by the Zampognari.
That same evening, at 19:00, everyone is invited to Piazzetta del Pozzo for the inauguration of the Advent Calendar, courtesy of Terziere Casalino. The calendar, a local tradition, will mark the start of the festivities with a delightful touch of history and art.
Starting 27 November, the new Christmas lights, inspired by the North Star, will illuminate the way for visitors along the streets of the old town centre and turn into a spectacle of lights and colours thanks to an artistic projection onto the façade of the Concattedrale dei Santi Gervasio e Protasio. The installation is based on the Adoration of the Magi by Il Perugino and uses ecological and circular materials to welcome visitors at the entrance to town, creating an evocative atmosphere in harmony with the environment.
The Christmas season festivities end with the much-awaited arrival from up high of the Befana on 6 January. The traditional event begins at 17:30 as the Befana descends from the Catherdral’s belfry to land on the Torre Civica, a spectacular flight of some 120 metres. This event involves more than 40 volunteers from the Gruppo Speleologico Cai di Perugia and is one of the most popular events of the season, with plenty of candy for all the children.
