Friends of the Nativity Scene City Competition

A Christmas tradition that unites Niscemi

The "Amici del Presepe" City Competition is one of the most anticipated events of Christmas in Niscemi, a town in the province of Caltanissetta, in the heart of Sicily. Created to promote and pass on the art of the nativity scene, the competition invites citizens, families, schools, associations, and parishes every year to test their creativity by building original, traditional, or modern nativity scenes. Niscemi boasts an extraordinary nativity culture: the town is known for its animated scenes and, among its attractions, houses one of the largest nativity scenes in Italy, set up in the Sicilian style with hundreds of terracotta figures.

How the competition works

Participation is open to all Niscemi residents and anyone wishing to share their work. Entrants build their nativity scene and send photographs to the organizers: a jury evaluates the entries based on precise criteria, including craftsmanship and faithfulness to tradition, artistic content, technical difficulty and overall quality, and the religious and spiritual aspect. All participants receive a certificate, while the top three are awarded during the final ceremony.

• Open to: individual participants, schools, associations, and parishes
• Method: submission of three photographs of the nativity scene from different angles
• Registration points: Institutional Nativity Scene on Via Umberto (Piazza Vittorio Emanuele) and Pro Loco APS at the "Mario Gori" Municipal Library
• Prizes: certificate for all, awards for the top three nativity scenes

The nativity scene, soul of Niscemi's Christmas

In Niscemi, the nativity scene is not just a decoration, but an authentic expression of popular religiosity and community identity. During the holidays, the town comes alive with animated scenes, the Living Nativity, and the Caravan of the Magi, in an atmosphere that attracts visitors from the entire region. The "Amici del Presepe" Competition fits into this context as a moment of collective participation, capable of involving entire families and passing on the artisanal and spiritual value of the Sicilian nativity scene to the younger generations.

The awards ceremony

The competition concludes with the awards ceremony in the conference hall of the "Mario Gori" Municipal Library, an event that brings together participants, municipal authorities, and enthusiasts to celebrate the most beautiful nativity scenes of the year and bid farewell to the Niscemi Christmas season with a smile.