Ferrara is preparing for the Christmas season with an extensive program of initiatives involving the entire historic center and an important part of the urban area. The city, which has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for the past 30 years, offers a schedule that links illuminations, cultural activities, engaging projects, music, theater and family events, with all the main events offering free admission. The organizers’ stated goal is to create a welcoming environment for residents and visitors, enhancing the city’s iconic places and offering social occasions related to the Christmas tradition and end-of-year festivities. The illuminations represent one of the most extensive elements of the project, with more than 130 kilometers of installations distributed along the downtown streets and in the main shopping areas. The light path defines a pattern that leads toward the points of greatest historical interest, helping to create a widespread atmosphere that accompanies the festive season.
“Once again this year Hera Group will spend the Christmas holidays together with the people of Ferrara,” comments Davide Bigarelli, Area Manager Emilia of the multiutility. “In fact, it is a great pleasure for us to once again be the main sponsor of the rich program of events, a varied and engaging program that always manages to renew itself with new suggestions, giving the city a magical atmosphere. We are happy to contribute, together with the other institutional and cultural partners, to make Ferrara a lively, attractive and welcoming territory. Also for this reason, as every year, during the entire holiday period, Hera people will be operative both to guarantee ordinary services and with extraordinary interventions, so that citizens and visitors can experience these special days in a clean, well-kept and sustainable city.”
“The primary objective of Ferrara Tua has always been to maximize the city’s tourist attractiveness, especially during a ’unique’ period such as the Christmas holidays,” says Luca Cimarelli, president of Ferrara Tua SpA, the coordinating entity of the initiatives. “Our efforts have focused on offering a packed calendar of events that do not require an entrance fee. Tourists and citizens alike will have a wide choice of events, including high-impact ones such as Video Mapping at the Church of San Paolo. Never before has Ferrara been so magical as this year for the Christmas holidays.”
“Once again this year Ferrara lights up for the holidays and will be one of the most fascinating destinations to experience the magic of Christmas,” says Mayor Alan Fabbri. “A program full of events, beauty, culture and good food will accompany citizens and visitors throughout the Christmas period, with free initiatives and special attention to children and families.”
“The city will come alive with many initiatives designed to enhance our heritage and make this period even more special,” concludes Tourism Councillor Matteo Fornasini. “The calendar with dozens of initiatives is designed to involve both citizens and tourists every weekend and during the holiday season, offering an increasingly magical, welcoming and attractive Ferrara.”
Among the special features of this year’s edition is an initiative dedicated to the 30th anniversary of UNESCO recognition, celebrated through the illumination of Via Mazzini with verses fromOrlando Furioso. The inscriptions bear the first octave of the poem and compose a textual itinerary that recalls the link between Ferrara, its literary history and the figure of Ludovico Ariosto. On Dec. 9, at 6 p.m., Luca Ward will interpret a passage from the work from the balcony of the Arengo Hall of the Ducal Palace, overlooking the cathedral square. The program also includes thelighting of the big Christmas tree in the cathedral square, set for Dec. 8 at 5:30 p.m., a moment that traditionally draws a large audience. Another central place for the festivities will be the Cloister of St. Paul, involved from Dec. 6 to Jan. 6 with the Magia di Luci display, which includes Christmas-themed light displays and a large sleigh, configured as a photogenic space intended for families and visitors. Two main projects also stand out among the events. From Dec. 6 to Dec. 21, on weekend afternoons, St. Paul’s Church will host the video mapping Triumphus Lucis, curated by Andrea Bernabini and Sara Caliumi, which will transform the nave with visual projections dedicated to light and color. From Dec. 13 to Jan. 4, however, Rotonda Foschini will host an artificial snowfall that will temporarily alter the appearance of the famous architectural space. The opening will be accompanied by a short performance with the presence of Queen Elsa, a very recognizable character in the imagination of young children.
A large part of the programming concerns families and children, for whom various displays and activities are intended. In the Cloister of St. Paul, from Dec. 6 to 28 on weekends, the Grinch’s Dwelling, a setting designed for a children’s audience with the presence of the character and an elf engaged in games and interactions, will be open. In the same cloister, inside the former Refectory, creative workshops on Dec. 6, 7, 8, 27 and 28 will offer manual activities led by figures related to the Christmas theme. On Dec. 13 and 14, the Estense Castle will host the Welcome to the North Pole village, a scenic set-up that introduces snowy settings and characters typical of the holiday season. A Christmas Bingo in the form of an interactive show is also planned for Dec. 14. On Dec. 20 and 21, also at the Cloister of St. Paul, the public will have access to the Ice Kingdom, an experience inspired by the Frozen saga with themed encounters and activities. The music program, which is entirely free, runs through December with concerts and traveling performances. On Dec. 7, the street band Christmas Crackers will occupy the streets of downtown. On Dec. 8, on the occasion of the tree lighting, the Ferrara Film Orchestra will perform Movie Xmas Song, a concert that brings together Christmas soundtracks and repertoires. On Dec. 13 the Jelly&Jam group is scheduled to perform, while on Dec. 14 the Cortile del Castello Estense will host the Ferrara Gospel Choir Academy. On Dec. 20, the Christmas Street Band - Teatro Scalzo will enliven the center with a traveling musical parade.
Cultural programming includes theater and film events. On December 11, at 8:30 p.m., the TeatroComunale will host a concert by Angelo Branduardi, presented as the final event of a project dedicated to Ferrara’s musical history, part of the Futuro Antico cycle. On Dec. 14, the Sala Estense will host the performance Sarto per signora by the Compagnia del Gecko, with proceeds going to charity. On Dec. 20 and 21, the same hall will be home to the free Xmas Cine Week film festival, which features screenings of Christmas classics. Meanwhile, the major exhibition Chagall. Witness of His Time at the Palazzo dei Diamanti, which brings together some two hundred works including paintings, drawings and engravings, with two rooms dedicated to in-depth examinations of the artist’s recurring themes, from memory to identity, from the sense of exile to spirituality. The exhibition remains open until February 8, 2026.
Alongside the main events, the city hosts the Christmas Markets in Trento and Trieste Square, active from Nov. 22 to Jan. 6, and the Winter Park at Coletta Park, with attractions, illuminations, skating rink and food areas. Santa’s House has been set up in Municipal Square, while Christmas Eve maintains the traditional torchlight procession of divers in the moat of the Estense Castle, an initiative known as Christmas Sub. The program also extends to the hamlets, which are involved in a series of activities that complete the offerings of the Christmas and New Year in Ferrara project. All updated information is available at inferrara.it. As far as New Year’s Eve is concerned, the city confirms one of the most recognizable events on the national scene: theFire of the Estense Castle, a fireworks and stage show that attracts thousands of people every year. The event, amid fireworks and light projections, defines the transition to the New Year and is considered one of the most attended moments of the entire program.
 |
| Ferrara lights up Christmas with lights, events and shows until New Year's Eve |
Warning: the translation into English of the original Italian article was created using automatic tools. We undertake to review all articles, but we do not guarantee the total absence of inaccuracies in the translation due to the program. You can find the original by clicking on the ITA button. If you find any mistake,please contact us.
