On First of December, Bucharest City Hall starts the winter festivities!
Bucharest Mayor, Gabriela Firea, inaugurates the Winter Festivities on Thursday, December 1st, at 7pm, at Constitution Square where Christmas lights will be also switched on.
Gabriela Firea: “I would like to invite all the citizens of Bucharest to attend the events organised by our Municipality on the occasion of winter festivities! For the first time, Bucharest City Hall organises multiple winter festivals in various areas of our Capital: Constitution Square, Old City, University Square, George Enescu Square, Kiseleff Park and Tineretului Park make up the map of winter celebrations.”
Christmas Market, at Constitution Square
Already a tradition of our city, Bucharest Christmas Market opens the official Winter Festivities. This year Bucharest Christmas Market will be organised at Constitution Square, hosting a series of attractions celebrating the authentic spirit of a Romanian Christmas: artistic shows, Santa’s Cottage, a skating rink, a carrousel, fairy characters, traditional food and Christmas gifts.
Bucharest Christmas Market takes place between December 1st and December 30th and can be visited daily, 10 am to 10 pm.
Over 100 Christmas Cottages
More than 100 cottages are grouped on categories like Handmade, Decorations Corner, Made in Romania, The Culinary Zone, Sweets for Christmas.
Our visitors will be able to find sculptures created from wood and bone, fabrics, vegetal fibre braidings, musical instruments, icons, dolls, traditional masks, wood baskets, stained glasses, icons on glass, hand-painted globes, garlands, bells, Horezu ceramics, natural soaps, ecological products out of lavander and roses, leather articles, popular costumes, traditional Romanian blouses, shirts, hats, bandanas, , Romanian salami cookie, cheese, pastry, home-made bread, bagels, pies, “scovearga”- a traditional pie, “lap-belt” cheese pie, “alivanca” – a Moldavian cheese pie, cabbage rolls from Maramures region, jams, chestnuts, mulled wine, plum brandy, slivovits and many more.
Santa’s Cottage
Santa’s Cottage will be opened between December 1st and December 24th, 11.30am-01.00pm and 5pm-10pm, being one of the most anticipated surprises dedicated to all the little ones. Here, in a magical scenery, all the children can meet Santa with his elves….
Kids will meet Santa’s assistants Gift Wrapper, Little Cake, The Postman Elf, The Toy Master and The Story Teller who can discover children’s wishes. Children may leave their letters to Santa’s post box, telling him all their wishes and good thoughts.
Santa Claus arrives at our fair between the 10th of December and the 24th of December, 11am-1pm and 5pm-10pm, looking forward for every kid to come and see him.
Carrousel, skating rink and little train
Between December 1st and December 30th, 10am to 10pm, parents are invited to bring their children to play. We offer them a fairy carrousel, an open air ice rink and a little train; the entry is free.
Charity Campaign
The charity campaign called “Be kind-hearted and give! You can be Santa, too!” will also take place this year. Our visitors can donate toys and books for all the children in need at Santa’s Cottage where organizers have set up a special box. Make their holidays more beautiful!
Shows
Various shows will take place during these celebrating days performed by popular ensembles from different regions of our country, bands for kids, carol singers, renowned artists or famous band and choirs: Dinu Iancu Sălăjanu, Maria Dragomiroiu, Ovidiu Komornik, Cornelia și Lupu Rednic, Nicolae Voiculeț, Ducu Bertzi, Elena Gheorghe, Bosquito, The Mono Jacks, Robin and the Backstabbers, Bere Gratis, El Negro, Pasărea Rock and Mircea Baniciu, Simona Nae, Paula Seling, Marcel Pavel, Proconsul, Jazzapella, Ducu Bertzi, Gospel Moods, Nicu Alifantis, Vița de Vie, Iris, Ștefan Hrușcă, Folklore Ensemble Doinița, Românașul Ensemble, Călușarii Slatinii, Andantino Choir.
Bucharest Christmas Market is annually organised by the Municipality of Bucharest, being part of the international network of the most renowned events in Europe – „Christmas Markets”. This is the place where festive lights are switched on each year along 23 km across the city. A fairy scenery completed by a dedicated Christmas tree, 25 m tall decorated with thousands of light bulbs.
Old City
Old City will be for the first time included on the map of Christmas dedicated events. This historic area will take festive colours in December alongside special events like: ALT.CRACIUN, The Romanian Design Fair at Hanul cu Tei, Rembrandt Christmas Festival Fair or Ateliere Șelari 13.
ALT.CRACIUN will take place at ARCUB Gabroveni, between December 16–December 23. Still Christmas, but less traditional. We have Christmas music, but not the one you might expect. More or less traditional delicacies and many places for you to shop and find original gifts. ALT.CRĂCIUN includes: ALT.Design Shop, ALT.Chocolate Shop, ALT.Gift Shop and many more. In addition, the Theatre Company Passe Partout DP ARCUB presents the Christmas show „The Miracle of a child”. Great Hall Arcub will host 5 performances: December 20, between 11:00am and 07:00pm; December 21, between 11:00am and 07:00pm; December 22, 11am. Tickets are sold at ARCUB box-office.
The Romanian Plastic Artists’ Union and its branch Bucharest Design organise “The Romanian Design Fair at Hanul cu Tei”, Gallery 15 Design, Old City. The fair is part of the programme called „Designed in Bucharest” – a brand promoting original design creations from Bucharest. The opening will take place on Thursday, December, the 1st, at 6PM, Gallery 15 Design, Hanul cu Tei. All the artists and designers presented here will inspire you to choose the perfect gift with their unique clothes, interior accessories, posters, graphic design and Christmas decorations.
Rembrandt Christmas Festival Fair, organised at Hanul cu Tei between December 5 and December 24, will host various creation workshops led by teachers from The National Art University, a painting exhibition, a tombola with prizes and many other surprises.
Ateliere Șelari 13 – 1st of December, 6pm to 0am, at Atelier5 Gallery – ODD, you may admire the works belonging to 14 important artists, opening their doors to the art loving public: an event-exhibition Atelierele Selari (Selari Workshops) – 2nd floor hall, Ateliere Deschise (Open Workshops) – 1st and 2nd floors, the exhibition „The Disappearance of Technology – Atelier 35 Gallery – ODD, ground floor.
Street Fairs and Parties
Seasonal food, traditional and international dishes can be tasted at the bars and restaurants from the Old City, greeting their guests with warm food and beverages, completing a festive atmosphere of Bucharest in December.
University Square
Starting with the first of December, the statue esplanade at University Square will be animated by festive moments and many other winter surprises aimed to enliven the 0 km landmark of our Capital. All the Bucharestians and tourists are expected to enjoy the festivities together with their loved ones while tasting a glass of mulled wine and delicious dishes in a fairy background, around a 14 m tall Christmas tree, beautifully decorated.
ATHENEUM CHRISTMAS FAIRY, at GEORGE ENESCU SQUARE
On December 17, at George Enescu Square, the Romanian Atheneum zone, all the Bucharestians are invited to visit the Atheneum Christmas Fairy.
Our visitors can buy gastronomic products, hand-made jewellery, plastic artists’ works or clothes created by Romanian designers. The atmosphere will be completed by live music, fanfare music, carols and a Christmas tree with pink light bulbs, in partnership with Renasterea Foundation and dedicated to all women with the message “Take care of your health!”. This event is open to public on 17th of December, between 12am and 10pm.
Children’s Christmas at KISELEFF PARK
Ion Creanga Theatre organises for five days, between December 16 and December 20 the event called “Children’s Christmas” at Kiseleff Park. This second edition reunites theatre performances, carol singers concerts and creation workhops dedicated to children of all ages. The programme will also include musical workshops and shadow theatre or Christmas decoration craft sessions. Free entry.
Snow Flakes Festival at TINERETULUI PARK
SnowFlakes Festival takes place at Tineretului Park, Gheorghe Sincai entrance, between 5th to 9th of December, 10am to 7pm. Dedicated to children ages 3 to 14, the SnowFlake Festival prepares creation and experimental workshops, interactive theatre shows and many more surprises!
Festive Lights in Bucharest
For 2016-2017, Luxten Lighting Company SA improved its concept of exploiting the spaces and locations of Bucharest, creating a relaxed and simple atmosphere which alternates the warm white with cold white, while colour is present only in a few zone. We would like to convert our urban public space into a sharing spot of joy and common values for all Bucharestians.
Special bus line – The Autonomous Transportation Enterprise of Bucharest RATB during winter festivities
The Autonomous Transportation Enterprise of Bucharest makes available the special bus line 361 to the public, at normal price, between Unirii Square and Baneasa Shopping City until December, 31st.
This special bus line will host costumed actors and beloved characters telling the most beautiful stories to kids, between 30th of November and 6th of December 2016 and between 21st of December and 26th of December 2016, 11.00am-2pm and 5pm-8pm. Five different stories in five buses are waiting to be discovered!
The bus line will operate between 10:00am – 9:00pm, on the following routes: I.C. Brătianu Bd, University Square, Romana Square, Victory Avenue, Aviatorilor Bd, Charles de Gaulle Square, Constantin Prezan Bd, Kiseleff Road, Piaţa Presei, Bucharest-Ploieşti Street, Băneasa Shopping City Parking, returning on Bucharest-Ploieşti Street, Presei Libere Square, Kiseleff Road, Victory Avenue, Splaiul Independenţei, Unirii Square. Buses will stop at the touristic stations of the Bucharest City Tour route. (http://bucharestcitytour.ratb.ro/traseu_eng.html), and on Bucharest-Ploiești Street, at common stations of 131 bus line.
Organisers – Bucharest Christmas Market: Bucharest City Hall, and creart – The Centre for Creation, Art and Tradition, Bucharest ARCUB – The Cultural Centre of Bucharest, PROEDUS – The Centre for Education and Sport Projects
Partners: Romanian National Tourist Office. Luxten, Bucharest Airports National Company
Media partners: România TV, Magic FM, Adevărul, Click, Agerpres, Art7, Festivaluri Românești, DC News, Zile și Nopți, Dor de Ducă, Calendar Evenimente, Orașul Meu, PR Wave, Gratuitor, Știri pe surse, IQool, Blitz TV, Best-Event, România Pozitivă, Bucharest City App
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