Italian
Piazza Ferretto transforms into a Christmas village with markets, performances, and the presence of Santa Claus.
Mestre (VENICE). It will be a weekend full of events on the occasion of “A Christmas to Live,” promoted by the Municipality of Venice and Vela Spa, which will recreate the magic of the Christmas holidays and welcome families with a series of activities for all ages. This Christmas, the center of Mestre will host many charming shows and entertainment for families and children.
“Venice celebrates Christmas by keeping alive the symbols of tradition, such as the lights scattered throughout the territory and the large festively decorated trees,” says Mayor Luigi Brugnaro. “Venice, its islands, and the mainland transform into magical places for both children and adults until Epiphany, where everyone can fully enjoy these festive days.”
In Piazza Ferretto, you can meet Santa Claus and his elf under the large decorated tree, surrounded by colorful lights and garlands. Tomorrow, December 12th, at 5 PM, a new musical and artistic event will take place with Loris Lombardo (an international artist, creator, and builder of the instruments he uses) featuring the handpan, an innovative instrument that originated around the year 2000 in Switzerland, was later presented at the Frankfurt Music Fair, and is sold worldwide.
Every weekend, Santa Claus will be available to listen to children’s wishes, while his elf tells magical and playful stories (Saturday, December 14th, from 4 PM to 7:30 PM and Sunday, December 15th, from 11 AM to 12:30 PM and from 4 PM to 7:30 PM). Around Piazza Ferretto and the surrounding streets, children can have fun with the “Barbamoccoli.”
On Saturday, December 14th, the Kindness Office will open a mobile branch, responding to visitors’ needs with poems and kind phrases to recite during Christmas lunch. On Sunday, December 15th, guided by Sara Righetto’s voice and Alessandro Pasqual’s guitar, visitors can personalize their Christmas soundtrack.
The Christmas market continues in the heart of Mestre, with booths where you can purchase handcrafted products, Christmas decorations, gourmet food, and interesting gift ideas, as well as enjoy a good hot chocolate (every day from 10 AM to 8 PM). On the stage of Piazza Ferretto, the Coro Artisti La Fenice will perform a repertoire of Christmas carols on Saturday, December 14th, at 5 PM, while on Sunday at 5 PM, Suzy’s Crew will host a Christmas Zumba session.
The contemporary circus at Forte Marghera continues with numerous events for both adults and children. Performers Gustavo La Vita (Saturday, December 14th, at 6 PM and Sunday, December 15th, at 11 AM) and Flora (Saturday, December 14th, at 8 PM and Sunday, December 15th, at 4 PM) will entertain the audience throughout the weekend. At Albanese Park, the Bissuola Winter Village, a funfair boasting attractions for children and families, will be in full swing. The park is open on weekdays from 2:30 PM to 8 PM and on holidays from 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM and from 2:30 PM to 8 PM. Specifically, on Saturday, December 14th, there will be a student party with promotional tickets, while on Sunday, December 15th, the show “Bolle sbadate” with Elga Fun Lab is scheduled.
For a shopping experience amidst the lights and illuminated installations, the Christmas Express remains active—a magical little train that travels through the city center streets (Saturday, December 14th, and Sunday, December 15th, from 11 AM to 1 PM and from 3:30 PM to 6:30 PM). Additionally, ice skating is available in Mestre (Saturday, December 14th, from 11 AM to 9 PM and Sunday, December 15th, from 11 AM to 8 PM), in Venice’s Campo San Polo (from 11 AM to 8 PM), and in Marghera (from 10 AM to 12:30 PM and from 2:30 PM to 8 PM), where animation activities are also planned (at 4 PM) and the Tessera Band will perform on Sunday, December 15th, at 11 AM. Christmas is also in full swing in Chirignago. On Friday, December 13th, at 8:45 PM, the concert “Christmas Time” will take place in the Church of San Giorgio Maggiore, featuring Vocal Summit and special guests Josmil Neris and Giampaolo Zanattta.
On Sunday, December 15th, in Piazza San Giorgio from 8:30 AM to 1 PM, you can visit solidarity booths and charity association stands. Proceeds from the Christmas concert, which will be held on Tuesday, December 17th, at 6 PM in the Santa Maria delle Grazie Cultural Center, will be donated to Avapo Mestre. The concert will feature Giorgio Agazzi performing pieces by Haydn, Bach, Debussy, Chopin, and other composers.
In Venice, on Sunday, December 15th, at 4:30 PM, the children’s show “The Forest of Christmas Stories,” freely inspired by Selma Lagerlöf’s tales, will take place at Teatro Groggia.
On the island of Burano, from Friday, December 13th, to Sunday, December 15th, from 10 AM to 7 PM, Christmas markets with plenty of crafts and music will be held. Specifically, on Sunday, December 15th, at 12 PM, the Christmas choir “The Colors of Music” will perform, and at 4 PM, Santa Claus will arrive by boat to spectacularly conclude the event. Markets will also be held in Campo San Giacomo dell’Orio on Saturday, December 14th, from 10 AM onwards, where you can find many original ideas among clothes, books, and children’s games, as well as homemade sweets to fund the “Patronage Project.” In Pescheria at Rialto, on Sunday, December 15th, from 10 AM to 7 PM, 60 local artisans will display their work.
Throughout the day, there will be shadows and cicchetti (Venetian tapas) as well as demonstrations and ceramic modeling workshops with Nadia Saponaro. At 12 PM, the initiative “A Hand-Sewn Notebook for Christmas” with Maria Mariano will take place for children aged 7 and above. Finally, at 5 PM, there will be a concert with the trio directed by Maestro Scutari.
In the Apollo halls of Teatro La Fenice, on Saturday, December 14th, and Sunday, December 15th, the show “The Return of Santa’s Helpers” will be staged for families with children aged 6 to 11 years. A video message from Santa Claus will open the way to a space-time journey through different eras and their music, from classicism to the present day. The audience’s participation will be crucial as they immerse themselves in the enchanting Christmas atmosphere through music and play, embarking on a magical and surprising journey through time. There will be two sessions, the first at 10 AM and the second at 12 PM.
From Thursday, December 12th, to Saturday, December 14th, at San Francesco della Vigna, “Christmas Under the Stars” will take place. For all three days, from 10 AM to 7 PM, you can shop among the markets, while on Friday, December 13th, and Saturday, December 14th, at 4 PM, you can join a guided tour to explore the neighborhood.
