Zungoli Christmas Concert

The Christmas Concert, a renewed tradition

Every year during the holiday season, the village of Zungoli — a small town of just over a thousand inhabitants in the province of Avellino, Campania — gathers for its Christmas Concert. This is not a massive festival for thousands of spectators; it is an intimate event, crafted by the Pro Loco Zungoli together with the community, which for one evening transforms the town's main church into a concert hall. Local press describes it every year as «a tradition that renews itself», and the formula works precisely because it stays true to its roots: quality music, an intimate setting, and no unnecessary spectacle.

The Mother Church of Santa Maria Assunta

The concert is held in the Mother Church of Santa Maria Assunta, located in Largo Chiesa in the heart of the historic center. It is Zungoli's most important religious building: documented as early as 1417, expanded in 1814, and largely rebuilt after the 1930 earthquake, it overlooks a small square and retains its bell tower on the right side. The intimate acoustics and the sobriety of the interior give the evening a character quite different from an outdoor stage: visitors discover both a repertoire and a monument at the same time.

The musical program

In the most recent documented edition, December 2025, the evening featured the Orchestra San Giovanni conducted by Maestro Keith Goodman, with a program presented by the organizers as «a journey dedicated to traditional pieces, from Pergolesi to Bach and Mozart». A choice consistent with the spirit of the «Christmas Season»: Baroque and classical pages, many with sacred inspiration, perfectly suited to the church space and an audience of all ages.

The Pro Loco entrusts the evening to different ensembles each year, and the Mother Church itself hosts music outside the Christmas period as well: in May 2026, for example, it hosted the «It's Wonderful – Music in Zungoli» concert with the Due Sicilie Sax Ensemble from the San Pietro a Majella Conservatory, conducted by Maestro Gianfranco Brundo, a sign of a musical program that now spans the entire year.

Inside the «Christmas in Zungoli» program

The Christmas Concert is not an isolated event: it is the musical highlight of a broader Christmas program, curated by the Pro Loco alongside local associations, which usually covers the period from the lighting of the tree to Epiphany. In past editions, the program has included:

• the arrival of Santa Claus through the village alleys and the Santa Claus Grotto;
• community bingo nights (tombolate) in local venues;
• children's shows with magic, soap bubbles, and puppets;
• the Christmas Lottery draw accompanied by the sound of bagpipes (zampogne);
• film screening evenings dedicated to the «Memory Workshops».

The Christmas Lottery and the flavors of Irpinia

Alongside the concert, the Pro Loco hosts the Christmas Lottery, officially authorized by the ADM, with prizes featuring local typical products: cheeses, cured meats, olive oil, sweets, and wine. The stated goal is twofold: to provide a treat for ticket buyers and to give visibility to local producers, spreading the flavors of Irpinia. Zungoli, after all, is the land of Podolico caciocavallo cheese aged in tuff caves and Ravece extra virgin olive oil.

Zungoli, a village to discover

It is worth arriving a few hours early. Zungoli is listed among The Most Beautiful Villages in Italy, holds the Orange Flag from the Italian Touring Club, and took third place in the «Il Borgo dei Borghi» television program in 2026 — a result the community celebrated with a concert in the Mother Church. The town, founded around the year 1000 on a tuff hill in the upper Ufita valley, on the border with Puglia, preserves an intact medieval layout dominated by the 11th-century Norman castle, later transformed into a noble residence. Beneath the houses lies a network of Byzantine caves carved into the tuff, once cellars and warehouses, now open to visitors and still used for aging cheese.

The 2026 edition

As of late July 2026, the Pro Loco has not yet released the date, time, or program for the Christmas Concert: the Zungoli Christmas program is usually published in the second half of December, a few weeks before the events. Those wishing to attend can follow the Pro Loco Zungoli social media channels, where the program appears as soon as it is finalized.