Naturae Charity Markets

A market that raises funds and builds community

The Naturae Charity Markets are one of the most anticipated autumn events in Palma Campania, a town in the Metropolitan City of Naples, Campania. The initiative was born from a simple idea: to transform an outdoor weekend market into a concrete tool for solidarity. Exhibitors provide their stalls, citizens make purchases, and the proceeds are donated to the charitable projects carried out by the Naturae Cultural Association. It is not an abstract fundraiser, but an opportunity for people to meet in the square, where generosity is expressed through a purchased item, a flipped-through book, or a tasted treat.

What you will find at the stalls

The market occupies Piazza De Martino, the town's central square, with exhibition spaces covering a diverse range of offerings.

• Handcrafted products and small handmade creations
• Gourmet specialties and typical products from the Vesuvius area
• Books, both used and collectible
• Aromatic plants and greenery for home cultivation
• Costume jewelry, trinkets, and small accessories
• Vintage and modern items, for those looking for that hard-to-find piece

More than just shopping: inflatables, music, and families

Alongside the exhibition spaces, the square comes alive over the two days with inflatables for children and music provided by DJs and entertainers, giving the event the feel of a local village festival. This is a deliberate choice by the organizers: to ensure the market is not just a place of commerce, but a moment for families from Palma Campania and neighboring towns to gather in the square, enjoying an informal atmosphere that lasts throughout the weekend.

The 'Riciclo NaturiAmoci' contest

One of the most characteristic moments is the awards ceremony for the 'Riciclo NaturiAmoci' contest, held on Sunday morning during the market. The competition, created by the Naturae Association, invites schools, families, and individual citizens to create artistic objects from waste materials, encouraging creative recycling and spreading a culture of sustainability. Over the years, the winning works have been displayed along the town's streets, from Piazza De Martino to local schools, turning waste into a small open-air gallery. This is the association's guiding thread, combining charity with environmental awareness.

Naturae: an association rooted in the territory

Founded on October 27, 2016, and active as a non-profit ever since, the Naturae Cultural Association is chaired by Rosa Ferrante and works on multiple fronts: environmental education in schools, circular economy, creative recycling, and the management of a Social Garden on Via San Felice, where members cultivate and harvest together. The Charity Markets were born in 2021 to mark the association's anniversary and have since become the most recognizable public event on its calendar.

A network of associations and public patronage

The event is not the work of a single entity: recent editions have involved a dozen local organizations, including 'O Pizzone, Pro Loco Castello, Viva, Borgo Castello, Buona Palma Campania, the Maria SS delle Grazie Festival Committee, Ecco, Ciondolando, and Il Quadrifoglio, along with local businesses and schools. The event takes place under the patronage of the Municipality of Palma Campania and the Campania Region: a collaboration that allows for the use of the main square and necessary services, granting the day institutional recognition.

Palma Campania, between Vesuvius and the Lattari Mountains

Palma Campania is situated in the valley connecting the Nola area to the Sarno-Nocera plain, at the foot of the Vesuvius foothills and a short distance from the Lattari Mountains. It is a municipality known throughout Campania for its Carnival with the famous 'quadriglie' dances, and for its particularly vibrant community life: the Charity Markets fit perfectly into this fabric of volunteering and neighborhood initiatives that mark the year in Palma.

When it takes place

The event is traditionally set in November, over a two-day weekend: all day Saturday and Sunday until lunchtime. The dates for the new edition are announced by the association shortly before the event through their social media channels and the Municipality's pages; it is therefore advisable to check them before traveling.