Avellino Christmas Village
Christmas markets, ice rink, and shows in Piazza della Libertà
About Christmas Village
The Christmas village of the Irpinian capital
Every year, from early December until Epiphany, Piazza della Libertà in Avellino transforms into the hub of the city's festivities. The Avellino Christmas Village occupies the pedestrian heart of the city with a village of wooden chalets, festive lights, an ice skating rink, and a calendar of events spanning over a month. The event is conceived and organized by the Associazione Italia Eventi, led by Giuseppe Lupo, and is supported by the Municipality of Avellino.
A market of crafts and Irpinian flavors
The core of the village is the Christmas market, which brings together artisans and small-scale producers from Irpinia and other Italian regions. Visitors can wander between stalls offering local gastronomy and festive decorations, perfect for a leisurely afternoon or post-dinner stroll:
- local cured meats, cheeses, and preserves;
- taralli, festive sweets, licorice, and chocolate;
- Christmas ornaments and tree decorations;
- handmade jewelry, accessories, and crafts.
The market integrates seamlessly with the historic center's shops, becoming a natural extension of the local Christmas shopping route.
Attractions for children
Younger visitors are at the heart of the project. Santa's House, set up in a wooden cabin, offers children the chance to meet Santa Claus, take a photo, climb onto his sleigh, and deliver their letters to the elves. Nearby, the vintage carousel adds a touch of nostalgia, while Mauro Apicella's national puppet theater brings Pulcinella and traditional Neapolitan characters to life with live performances. The ice skating rink, illuminated and set to Christmas music, is the standout feature of the square.
Folk music, gospel, and street performers
The live program is packed: over thirty groups perform throughout the event, with a focus on Campanian folk music and Christmas traditions. Bagpipers, Irpinian tarantella groups, street bands, gospel choirs, and folk ensembles rotate through the square, accompanied by street artists performing juggling, stilt-walking, and bubble shows. There are no massive stages; the performances are itinerant or intimate, designed to be enjoyed as you walk through the village.
Workshops with schools and associations
A significant part of the schedule is built in collaboration with the city's schools and local associations. Avellino's high schools host artistic workshops—covering decoration, watercolor, ceramics, sculpture, origami, and Chinese tangram—while the hospitality school offers cooking and pastry demonstrations. Local associations bring the grand Christmas Tombolata, woodblock printing workshops, and family activities to the square, alongside an orienteering race that uses the pedestrian center as its playing field.
A young event already firmly on the city calendar
The Avellino Christmas Village was launched in December 2024 and immediately filled a long-standing gap in the capital's Christmas program. By its second edition in the winter of 2025-2026, the village extended its schedule until January 11th and expanded its live entertainment, cementing its status as the premier festive event in Avellino.
Avellino and Irpinia during the holidays
The Municipality of Avellino, capital of the province of the same name in Campania, is the natural gathering point for inland Irpinia during the Christmas season. It is a land of mountains and wine-growing hills—home to Taurasi, Fiano di Avellino, and Greco di Tufo—where Christmas retains its authentic village charm, complete with bagpipes, living nativity scenes, and winter food festivals. The village in Piazza della Libertà serves as an urban hub for those visiting the Campanian hinterland, located just over an hour from Naples.
Christmas Village — edition 2026
An edition extended until January 11
The 2025-2026 edition, the second of the event, extended the calendar beyond Epiphany: the village in Piazza della Libertà remained open from December 6, 2025, to January 11, 2026, daily from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM and until midnight on weekends and holidays. Organized by the Associazione Italia Eventi with the patronage of the Municipality of Avellino, this edition particularly strengthened the live entertainment and workshops with local schools.
The village
The wooden chalets of the market hosted artisans and small producers offering cured meats, cheeses, taralli, preserves, sweets, licorice, and chocolate, as well as Christmas decorations, jewelry, and accessories. Fixed attractions—the ice skating rink, Santa's House with sleigh and elves, the vintage carousel, and Mauro Apicella's puppet theater—operated throughout the duration of the village, with free entry to the area.
Collaborations
The educational program was developed with the "Paolo Anania De Luca" High School for artistic workshops and orienteering, with the IPSEOA "Manlio Rossi Doria" for cooking demonstrations, and with the Avellino Pro Loco for the Tombolata, woodblock printing, and creative family activities.
Programme Christmas Village 2026
Inauguration
Saturday, December 6, 2025, at 6:00 PM — official opening of the village with Santa's Street Band and the Sound Lady majorettes.
Opening hours
- Weekdays: 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM
- Weekends and holidays: 10:00 AM to midnight
- Period: December 6, 2025, to January 11, 2026
Permanent attractions
- Ice skating rink, with lights and Christmas music
- Santa's House in a wooden cabin: photos with Santa Claus, sleigh, and letter delivery to elves
- Vintage carousel for children
- National puppet theater by Mauro Apicella, with Pulcinella and traditional characters
- Christmas market with Italian artisans and small producers
Shows and music
Over thirty groups performed in the square throughout the village's duration, including:
- Le Zampognare di Padre Pio
- Antiqua Giostra
- Odissea Popolare
- I Virtuosi della Tarantella
- Blue Street Band
- St. Thomas Gospel Family
- Scottish-style bagpipe ensembles, street bands, and itinerant folk music groups
Alongside the concerts, street artists performed juggling, stilt-walking, bubble shows, mascots, and animated dinosaurs.
Workshops and activities
- With the "Paolo Anania De Luca" High School: artistic and decoration workshops, watercolor, ceramics, sculpture, origami, and Chinese tangram
- Orienteering race in the pedestrian center of Avellino
- With the IPSEOA "Manlio Rossi Doria": live preparation of spiced chocolate cake
- With the Avellino Pro Loco: Grand Christmas Tombolata, woodblock printing workshop, and "Ciak… si sogna" creative activity
Highlights Christmas Village 2026
- Inauguration on December 6, 2025, at 6:00 PM with Santa's Street Band and Sound Lady majorettes
- Ice skating rink in the heart of Piazza della Libertà
- Santa's House with sleigh, elves, and letter delivery
- Mauro Apicella's puppet theater and vintage carousel
- Over thirty live groups: bagpipers, Irpinian tarantella, gospel, street bands
- Creative workshops with Avellino high schools and the Pro Loco
- Market with cured meats, cheeses, sweets, licorice, chocolate, and crafts
Prices Christmas Village 2026
Practical information — Christmas Village
Location
Piazza della Libertà, in the pedestrian center of Avellino (ZIP 83100), province of Avellino, Campania.
How to get there
By car: A16 Naples-Canosa motorway, take the Avellino Ovest or Avellino Est exits, then follow signs for the center. During peak days, it is advisable to leave your car in the parking lots surrounding the historic center, as the square area is pedestrianized.
By bus: Avellino is connected by regional bus lines to Naples and Salerno, with stops a short distance from the center.
By train: The Avellino railway station is located in the city with limited service; for most visitors, bus travel remains the most convenient option.
Opening hours
The village is open daily from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM; on weekends and holidays, opening hours are extended until midnight.
Admission
Access to the village and the market is free. Some attractions (ice rink, carousel) require a separate fee, which is not communicated in advance by the organizers.
Tips
The best time for families to visit is in the late afternoon, when the lights turn on and the itinerant shows begin. Dress in layers: Avellino is at an altitude of about 350 meters, and the square can be cold and windy on December evenings.
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Where does it take place — Christmas Village
Piazza della Libertà
Piazza della Libertà, 83100 Avellino