Gallico Christmas Village and Borgo dei Presepi 2026: Christmas in Reggio Calabria

Borgo Cecilia, Gallico Marina · Reggio Calabria, Costa Viola, Calabria

5 December 2026 – 6 January 2027

From 5 December 2026 to 6 January 2027 Borgo Cecilia, the old fishing quarter of Gallico Marina on the northern side of Reggio Calabria, hosts the Gallico Christmas Village and Il Borgo dei Presepi (the village of nativity scenes). From 5 to 8 December the first edition of the Christmas village brings together wooden huts with local makers and producers, Santa's Village, a food street with Calabrian specialities and street food, a funfair and a stage for concerts and shows. Until 6 January visitors can walk past the nativity scenes entered in the «Il presepe che vorrei» (The nativity I would like) competition, displayed in thirty lit wooden huts along Via Umberto I and in courtyards, shops and windows around the quarter. It is organised by the AncorArte Gallico cultural association with the support of the Stretto Nord initiative, and admission is free. Entries to the competition are free and open to everyone until Monday 16 November 2026.

Two events in the same quarter

Christmas 2026 in Gallico Marina comes in two parts that share the same setting, Borgo Cecilia, the old fishing quarter facing the Strait of Messina on the northern side of Reggio Calabria. The first is the Gallico Christmas Village, now in its first edition, which fills the quarter for four days, from Saturday 5 to Tuesday 8 December, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, a public holiday in Italy. The second is Il Borgo dei Presepi, a nativity scene exhibition and competition spread across the quarter, which opens on the same day and stays open until Wednesday 6 January 2027.

The artistic direction is in the hands of the AncorArte Gallico cultural association, whose past work in the area includes the Estate Gallicese summer programme and the Gallico Wine Festival. The project is backed by Stretto Nord, a civic initiative working with towns, associations and businesses on a plan for the northern part of the metropolitan area. Stretto Nord's events page lists admission as free.

The Gallico Christmas Village, 5 to 8 December

For four days the quarter becomes a Christmas village laid out in themed areas. In the Borgo di Natale, huts and stalls run by exhibitors, associations, craftspeople and local producers sell gifts, handmade items and local specialities. Santa's Village is designed for children: they can meet Father Christmas and his elves, hand in their letters, have a souvenir photo taken and join in games and craft workshops. The Via dei Sapori food street gathers Calabrian produce, street food and Christmas sweets; a gluten-free area is planned but not yet confirmed.

The village is completed by the Christmas Fun Area, with a funfair and games for families, and the Christmas Show Area, a stage on Via Buonarroti for concerts, singing and shows. From 5 December, festive lights, photo spots and piped music accompany the visit. A living nativity, bagpipe players and dance and fashion events, put forward in the early presentation, still have to be confirmed in the final programme.

The nativity trail until 6 January 2027

The part that lasts through the whole holiday season is the exhibition of competing nativity scenes. Thirty lit and decorated wooden huts along Via Umberto I each hold one entry, and more are shown in shops, courtyards, cellars and windows lent by residents and local businesses. The organisers allocate the spaces; each spot has a card with number, title, author, category, description and materials, and a map leads visitors from one scene to the next.

The trail is open from 5 December 2026 to 6 January 2027, so it carries on well after the village closes: if you cannot come for the Immaculate Conception weekend, you can still visit during the Christmas holidays. The entries are taken down between 7 and 11 January, and the competition awards are scheduled between 6 and 12 January 2027.

The «Il presepe che vorrei» competition: theme and entries

This year's theme starts from a question: if the Nativity happened today, where would we want it to take place? Each entrant is free to choose the setting, the period and the style, from a traditional crib to one set in the future, by the sea, on the edge of a city or in an imaginary world; the only rule is that the Nativity must remain recognisable. Every entry has a title and a description of about 250 characters explaining the setting, the message and the materials.

Taking part is free and open to everyone, in four categories: individuals and families; groups, associations and communities; schools; local businesses. You can enter more than one piece, one form per entry, and entries by children must be submitted by a responsible adult. The form is on the competition page of the Stretto Nord website, or it can be handed in to the AncorArte Gallico association, by Monday 16 November 2026; the scenes must be set up by Friday 4 December.

Jury, scoring and prizes

A technical jury gives each nativity scene up to 100 points: 30 for how it interprets the theme, 20 for originality and creativity, 20 for artistic quality and craftsmanship, 15 for its message and another 15 for the creative use of recycled materials. Cardboard, wood, paper, fabric, glass, natural materials and discarded objects are all welcome: recycling is not compulsory but it counts towards the score, and the rules state that the assessment does not depend on how much money the maker can spend.

There are first, second and third prizes and a special children's prize, awarded by a jury of pupils during school visits to the trail. Further awards go to the entry that best embodies «Il presepe che vorrei» and to the most creative, the best use of recycled materials, community spirit, a vision of the future and a reinterpreted tradition.

Borgo Cecilia, its revival and «Un Regalo per un Sorriso»

The Christmas project is part of a wider plan to restore Borgo Cecilia and the Gallico Marina seafront. On 10 September 2026 a public assembly called by the Borgo Cecilia association discussed the guidelines for the Natale De Grazia seafront and the quarter, and working groups of engineers, associations and local businesses were set up as a result. The slogan on the poster, «Borgo Cecilia risorge» (Borgo Cecilia rises again), comes from this process.

There is a charity side too. Under the name «Un Regalo per un Sorriso» (A gift for a smile), the project presentation plans a collection point for new toys and gifts for children in need, with the aim of passing some of them on to young patients at the Grande Ospedale Metropolitano, Reggio Calabria's main hospital. How the collection will work and who will be involved is still to be set out in the programme.

Getting to Gallico Marina and practical information

Gallico Marina is the seaside part of the Gallico district, north of central Reggio Calabria, between Catona and Archi. By car, take the A2 motorway junction that serves the district or the SS18 coastal road, known locally as Via Nazionale, which runs through it; by train, get off at Gallico station on the Tyrrhenian line. During the village the quarter is largely pedestrian, and any road closures, such as the one requested for a stretch of Via Michelangelo Buonarroti, depend on a city council order. The sources do not mention dedicated parking.

Opening hours have not been published yet and will be set out in the final programme. For information, the organising office of the AncorArte Gallico cultural association can be reached on +39 389 949 5094 or at associazioneancorartegallico@gmail.com.

Frequently asked questions

When are the Gallico Christmas Village and Il Borgo dei Presepi?

The Christmas village runs from 5 to 8 December 2026; the nativity trail can be visited from 5 December 2026 to 6 January 2027.

Is admission free?

Yes, Stretto Nord's events page lists free admission. You pay for what you buy at the stalls and on the food street.

What are the opening hours?

They have not been announced yet: opening times and the stage line-up will be given in the village's final programme.

Where is Borgo Cecilia?

It is the old fishing quarter of Gallico Marina, on the northern side of Reggio Calabria; the nativity huts are on Via Umberto I. You can get there via the A2 motorway, the SS18 coastal road or by train to Gallico station.

How do I enter the «Il presepe che vorrei» competition?

Fill in the free form on the competition page of the Stretto Nord website, or hand it in to the AncorArte Gallico association, by Monday 16 November 2026. Entries must be set up by 4 December.

Who can enter a nativity scene?

Anyone: individuals and families, groups and associations, schools and local businesses. Entries by children must be submitted by a parent, guardian or responsible adult.

Is there anything for children?

Yes: from 5 to 8 December there is Santa's Village with elves, letters, photos and workshops, plus a funfair. A jury of pupils also awards the competition's special children's prize.

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