New Year's Eve in the Square

New Year's Eve in the Square in Santa Maria di Castellabate

New Year's Eve in the Square is the end-of-year celebration organized by the Castellabate municipal administration in the province of Salerno. It invites everyone to welcome the new year together in Piazza Lucia, the administrative and social heart of Santa Maria, the town's seaside district. The event takes place every December 31st starting at 11:30 PM, featuring music, entertainment, a countdown, and a collective toast at the stroke of midnight—all with free admission just a short walk from the Cilento seafront.

A young festival born to build community

Though recent, the event has quickly established itself in the Campania winter calendar. The first edition took place on December 31, 2024, when Castellabate celebrated its first New Year's Eve in the square with the free 'Riviviamo gli anni 90' (Reliving the 90s) party, organized in collaboration with the local association Musicalmente. Mayor Marco Rizzo and councilor Gianmarco Rodio explained the initiative's goal: to unite the entire population in a festive atmosphere, provide a gathering place for young people and families, and support local businesses during the heart of the winter season.

Piazza Lucia, the seaside living room

Piazza Lucia is no ordinary square; it is the landmark of Santa Maria di Castellabate, home to the town hall and the tourist office, just steps from the beach. The area has held the Blue Flag status continuously since 1999, hosts a protected marine area, and is part of the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Those who know the village from the film 'Benvenuti al Sud' (Welcome to the South), which was filmed between Marina Piccola and the Porto delle Gatte, will find a quiet, authentic atmosphere here in winter, far removed from the summer crowds.

Folk music and dance rhythms

The Castellabate New Year's format focuses on shows that get every generation dancing. After the 90s-themed debut, the square hosted 'Dance Tarantella' on December 31, 2025—a show that blends Southern Italian folk music with the energetic, infectious beats of dance music. It is a choice that perfectly bridges Cilento tradition with the festive spirit of New Year's Eve. No tickets or reservations are required: just show up and dance.

New Year's Eve within the Christmas program

The night of December 31st is the highlight of a broader program that brings the municipality to life from early December until the Epiphany. The calendar includes:

• The Christmas Markets in the Village, held in the Old Town and Piazza 10 Ottobre 1123, featuring sweets, typical Cilento products, and Christmas crafts;
• The Aperi New Year on December 31st at 12:00 PM in Piazzetta Caduti del Mare, with music and entertainment provided by the Musicalmente Association;
• New Year's Eve in the Square in Piazza Lucia, from 11:30 PM until late at night;
• The 'Happy New Year in the Village' event on January 1st, organized by the Pro Loco in the historic center, and the New Year's Concert by the S. Cecilia Band in the Pontifical Basilica of Santa Maria de Gulia.

Why choose Castellabate for the last night of the year

Celebrating in Piazza Lucia means choosing a free, open-air, family-friendly party in one of the most beloved villages in Campania. The crowd is diverse: families with children who stay until the toast, groups of young people who keep dancing, and tourists taking advantage of the end-of-year long weekend to discover the Cilento region off-season. Around the square, bars and restaurants remain open and offer New Year's Eve dinners, while the Old Town, perched above the marina, offers a charming walk before or after midnight.

A Cilento New Year, between tradition and the sea

New Year's Eve in the Square perfectly captures the identity of the Municipality of Castellabate: a community that welcomes thousands of visitors in the summer and chooses to gather in the square in winter, with traditional Southern folk music as the soundtrack. It is a simple formula—a square, a stage, and the sea in the background—that has already found its audience in just a few editions and rounds out the winter offerings of the Cilento coast in Campania.