Christmas Markets – The City of Christmas

The City of Christmas in Canosa di Puglia

Every year, during the Immaculate Conception long weekend in early December, Canosa di Puglia lights up and transforms into the "City of Christmas". For three days, the town centre of this Daunian city, located in the Province of Barletta-Andria-Trani (BAT), becomes a grand open-air stage featuring Christmas markets, tastings, live music, and children's entertainment. It is the event that officially launches the festive season, with a widespread programme involving the main squares and streets of the town.

The markets and traditional food huts

The heart of the event is the Christmas Market set up in the charming setting of the Villa Comunale, where dozens of artisan, creative, and hobbyist stalls offer gift ideas, decorations, and handmade crafts amidst music and entertainment. Along Corso San Sabino, curated by the Pro Loco Canosa, the exhibitors' route winds through the streets, while in Piazza della Repubblica, traditional wooden huts host tastings of Traditional Agri-food Products (PAT) from Canosa.

• The famous sfogliatella canosina ("sfegghjète"), a Christmas pastry recognized as a Traditional Agri-food Product;
• Bread with prosciutto and burnt wheat strascinati pasta;
• Local olive oil and wine;
• Traditional holiday sweets and specialties.

Music, shows, and tradition

The calendar alternates between religious and secular moments: from the lighting of the trees in the squares to the floral tribute to the statue of the Madonna Immacolata on December 8th. There is no shortage of live concerts, roaming circus acts, traditional bonfires, evening DJ sets, and large folk orchestras that enliven Piazza della Repubblica until late at night. The Sfogliatella Festival, hosted in Piazza Vittorio Veneto, further enriches the weekend by celebrating the city's signature pastry.

A community celebration

The event is born from the collaboration between the Municipal Administration of Canosa di Puglia, the Pro Loco Canosa, Confcommercio, and local associations and businesses, with the support of the Puglia Region. The result is an authentically popular, free festival designed for families and visitors, combining the spirit of Christmas with the rediscovery of the gastronomic and artisan traditions of this corner of Puglia.