Christmas in the Square in Ostia

Christmas on the Roman coast

Christmas in the Square in Ostia is the event that officially kicks off the holiday season in the center of the Lido di Roma at the beginning of December. Promoted by Roma Capitale through the Department for Major Events and supported by Municipio X, the event brings culture, music, and comedy to Piazza Anco Marzio—the large pedestrian square overlooking the pier that serves as the commercial and social heart of Ostia—for four consecutive afternoons. All shows are free and open to the public, designed for a wide, family-oriented audience.

Culture, laughter, and concerts

The format combines three elements each afternoon. It begins with a lecture dedicated to the history and heritage of Rome, featuring archaeologists and experts discussing the Capital's major restoration projects; it continues with a cabaret interlude by well-known faces of Roman and national comedy; and it concludes in the evening with a headline concert, ranging from singer-songwriter performances and pop music to tributes to Roman traditions. It is a program that weaves together popular entertainment and the rediscovery of local identity, with no age barriers or ticket requirements.

Two squares, one widespread festival

In recent years, the event has expanded to a second location just a few hundred meters away: Piazza Regina Pacis, which hosts a parallel festival more oriented toward families and children. Here, bands, presenters, children's entertainment, meetings with Santa Claus, letter collection, gospel choirs, and swing and jazz evenings take turns, all accompanied by local food and wine. The result is a widespread festival that, amidst the newly lit decorations, brings the entire Ostia center district to life during the days surrounding the Immaculate Conception.

A ritual that returns every December

Having become a fixed appointment in the coastal winter calendar over the years, Christmas in the Square is part of the broader program of Christmas events in Municipio X, which also involves Acilia, La Madonnetta, and other neighborhoods with lights, shows, and activities for young people. For the residents of Ostia and for Romans who choose to reach the sea even in winter, it is an opportunity to gather in the square, enjoy a concert and a laugh, and start the holidays in one of the most characteristic areas of the Municipality of Rome, in the Lazio region.