Story by Anthony Savvides, photos by Sara Cipriani
A press conference held yesterday at Spoleto’s city hall brought together city leaders to discuss events throughout Spoleto during the final weeks of 2012. Councilor Margherita Lezi opened the discussion in “la Sala dello Spagna” (the hall of Lo Spagna) by praising collaboration between the city’s trade associations, the municipal administration, and the Cassa di Spoleto Foundation. Sandro Fontalini, director of culture and tourism, spoke about the importance of these events for the city’s tourism sector, highlighting the municipal school of music’s Christmas concert and the dancing fountains in Piazza della Libertà on New Year’s Eve, in addition to the DJ set that will be in Piazza Garibaldi.
Tommaso Barbanera, president of ConSpoleto, stressed that hotel staff throughout the city have been prepared for the holiday rush, and have prepared special holiday packages for visitors. While he is enthusiastic about the upcoming events, he said that the “Mercatini di Natale” (Christmas Village Markets) should have continued through the New Year. As it is, the event will close the day after Christmas.
Next on the agenda, Leonardo Perini spoke about Syn-Ergo’s “Mercatini di Natale” event, and said that the marketplace would bring a new spirit to Piazza Garibaldi and Piazza della Libertà. The markets will feature wooden booths where people can purchase traditional Christmas handicrafts from all over Europe, thanks to the GAL coordination. There will also be a post office, set up by Il Buyocco association, where children can drop off letters to Santa Claus. The man in red himself will also be present in the city squares. This year’s event marks the return of an old Spoleto tradition, and the event will come to an end with a virtual scavenger hunt on December 26.
The scavenger hunt is being organized by Andrea Schiarelli, Nicolò Marchi and Luca Silvestrini, and the idea of ObiettivoSpoleto won praise from all in attendance. Schiarelli, the spokesperson, said the event is geared toward young people and meant to bring them into the city to rediscover its history and culture. Registration is free for all participants and clues will be sent digitally through email, allowing teams to use smart phones, tablets and laptops.
Maria Teresa Silvestri, president of the Pro Loco di Spoleto, spoke proudly of the city’s dedication to the Nativity scene. There will be a path of cribs leading from Piazza Garibaldi to the historic city center, as well as the first International Exhibition of Miniature Nativity. The showcase will feature a half-centimeter crib, the world’s smallest. There will also be opportunities to hike through the surrounding mountains.
For a full listing of events, please visit the following three sites:
Mercatini di Spoleto (event site)
Palazzo Collicola (modern art gallery)
and SpoletoCard
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