A Cultural and Entertaining Event Series

Over a hundred events, ranging from theater to music, from food and wine to folklore, will create a dense and rich calendar starting on November 23rd and concluding on January 19th, 2025. Entertainment for all ages, aimed at residents and visitors, with events set up between the city center and the surrounding areas, characterizes the program of ‘M’Illumino d’Inverno’, the event series promoted by the Municipality of Sorrento in collaboration with the Campania Region and the Sorrento Foundation.

This morning, the 16th edition was presented at the Tasso Theater by the mayor of Sorrento, Massimo Coppola, during a press conference attended by the Culture Councilor, Rossella Di Leva, the president of the Correale Museum, Gaetano Mauro, and the CEO of the Sorrento Foundation, Mario Gargiulo, along with artistic directors and organizers of various festivals, and numerous representatives of local cultural and trade associations.

‘A program that prioritizes the social and cultural aspects,’ highlighted Mayor Coppola, ‘emphasizing the opportunities and atmospheres offered primarily to our fellow citizens, and then to guests who choose Sorrento as a tourist destination. Great space has been reserved for entertainment for children and families. After all, Christmas is especially their holiday.’

As usual, the program will open with the lighting of the large Christmas tree in Piazza Tasso and the illuminations, scheduled for November 23rd at 6 PM.

From November 29th to December 1st, ‘Black Friday’ and ‘Shopping Under the Tree’ return, in collaboration with Confcommercio, involving downtown shops with special offers and shows set up in various parts of the city.

On November 30th, for the joy of the little ones, the traditional Christmas Village opens at Villa Fiorentino, where, until December 26th, from 4 PM to 8 PM, you can meet Santa Claus and many other characters who will also be protagonists of various meetings in schools and the Little Elves Workshop, hosted again at Villa Fiorentino from December 23rd to January 6th, from 11 AM to 1 PM. Also dedicated to children are the puppet shows by the Mercurio Brothers in Piazza Tasso, scheduled on various dates in Piazza Tasso from 4 PM to 9 PM, the Christmas Star Project, a theater and music workshop for children to be held at the Gugliucci School of Priora, Santa Claus on a sleigh, which will visit various districts of Sorrento, with shows and entertainment. Further, the Cartoon Circus on December 8th at 11 AM at the Tasso Theater, the Zecchino d’Oro in Sorrento, on December 11th from 2 PM to 7:30 PM at the Tasso Theater, Santa Claus with the schools on December 17th and 18th, from 9 AM to 1 PM at the Tasso Theater, ending with Epiphany: the Befana’s Dwelling from January 4th to 6th, from 4 PM to 8 PM at Villa Fiorentino and the Befana in Priora, on January 5th at 6:30 PM.

The cycle of events titled ‘A Christmas Together’, dedicated to people with disabilities, will be held at the San Francesco Hall of the Sorrento Cathedral, with creative and recreational workshops scheduled from November 25th, and on December 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd, and 30th, and January 6th and 13th, from 4 PM to 6 PM.

On November 30th, at Villa Fiorentino, a nativity art exhibition curated by the Sorrento Foundation will open. On the same day, at 8:30 PM in the Church of the Addolorata, the fourth edition of IncantiAmoci in Sorrento will begin, with the artistic direction of Salvatore Piedimonte, featuring ‘Tales of Mystery’ by Salvatore di Giacomo, continuing on December 7th, 27th, and January 10th with Diego Sommaripa, Nio Lauro, and Antonio Spenillo. Four events of ‘Natalea for the Villages and Marinas’, the theater and music festival directed by Marco Palmieri, aimed at promoting and enhancing the Sorrento territory, will start on December 1st at 7:15 PM at the Church of Santa Lucia with ‘Lullaby to Mary’, featuring Francesca Maresca, continuing on December 5th at Marina Grande, December 19th at the Tasso Theater, and December 20th at Casarlano.

Sorrento Jazz, the historic festival founded by the late Antonino Esposito, returns this year for its 25th edition, starting on December 16th at 7:30 PM at the Tasso Theater with the Caponi Brother Quintet, and continuing on December 17th with Javier Girotto, December 18th with Danilo Rea, and December 19th with Gegè Telesforo Big Mama Legacy. The Tasso Theater also hosts a series titled ‘All the Lights of the City’, featuring artists such as Antonio Milo, Carlo Buccirosso, Maurizio Casagrande, Michele Placido, Silvio Orlando, and others, with the artistic direction of Massimiliano Gallo.

The ‘Caruso – De Curtis Sorrento International Festival & Singing Competition’, entirely dedicated to two great protagonists of music of all time, is promoted on the occasion of the 151st anniversary of the birth of Enrico Caruso and the 130th anniversary of the song ‘Torna a Surriento’, composed in 1894 by Ernesto De Curtis with words by his brother Giambattista. Three days, from December 13th to 15th, of singing contests, multimedia exhibitions, concerts, and awards.

From December 2nd to 5th, the 47th edition of the Professional Cinema Days, an event that attracts over two thousand accredited individuals, including producers, distributors, exhibitors, as well as actors, directors, journalists, institutions, and professionals, constituting the main meeting point for the Italian film industry. The 2024 edition will also offer free screenings and events open to the public, and many appointments dedicated to cinephiles. More cinema with the third edition of the ‘Sorrento Film & Food Festival’, scheduled from January 1st to 6th at the Tasso Theater, which will include free screenings, meetings, awards, and conferences with show business protagonists and masterclasses for young actors.

Faith and solidarity are the ingredients of ‘O Presepio, the live nativity scene set up in the gardens adjacent to the Episcopal Palace of the Cathedral. A symbol of the true spirit of Christmas, created by dozens of volunteers, it will be open to the public on December 25th, 28th, and 30th, and January 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, and 6th from 5:30 PM to 8 PM.

From Christmas to New Year’s, the step is short and offers citizens and tourists the usual hospitality, with the lighting of the Fire Donkey at 6 PM, preceded by the parade of the Folklore Group. From 11 PM to 3 AM, in Piazza Tasso, the New Year’s Eve Party, with live music and DJ sets. At the stroke of one, it will be possible to admire the fireworks display from Marina Piccola.

From welcoming 2025 to Epiphany, with the Bersaglieri Fanfare performing at 12:15 PM in Piazza Tasso, while at 7:30 PM, the Correale Museum will host the traditional Procession of the Infant Jesus with shepherds and bagpipers. The next day, January 7th, at the Tasso Theater, the Cantata dei Pastori with Peppe Barra, included in the Soave sia il vento series, curated by the Pietà de’ Turchini Foundation, with concerts scheduled on November 26th and 29th and December 28th.

On January 11th and 12th, from 5 PM to 6:30 PM in the Basilica of Sant’Antonino, the ‘Tableaux vivants’ performances return, real living paintings drawn from the works of Spagnoletto and Caravaggio.

Gastronomy could not be missing with numerous appointments. From December 4th to 8th, between Piazza Veniero and Corso Italia, the seventh edition of Chocoland, the artisanal chocolate fair, will be held, while from December 6th to 8th, Piazza Lauro hosts, from 6 PM to midnight, the Sorrento Village Street Food, with Apecar offering pizzas, sandwiches, fries, specialties from various regions, and many other gourmet proposals. Pizza will be the protagonist again on December 24th at the pizzeria Da Gigino and on January 13th at the pizzeria Da Michele, with free tastings.

The M’Illumino d’inverno program also proposes many events related to folklore, such as the Ceppone di Santa Lucia on December 12th and 13th, various concerts in churches and historical places (notably on December 20th at 9 PM at the Municipal Palace ‘Navidad Argentina’ with Diego Lemmi Moreno), itineraries and visits featuring the Correale Museum, with its new archaeological section. And then cultural meetings, such as the one on December 10th, at 6:30 PM, at the Tasso Theater, with the presentation of the book Volver by Maurizio de Giovanni accompanied by saxophonist Marco Zurzolo, the photographic exhibition ‘The Call of the Sirens’ at the cloister of San Francesco, from December 8th to 17th, and many other appointments, the complete list of which is available on the Municipality of Sorrento’s website, at www.comune.sorrento.na.it