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The parish church of San Bartolomeo in Oltre il Colle on its arched embankment, with the Alben in the background

Usually in December · Oltre il Colle

Christmas markets and festivities in the village

Christmas markets and festivities at Oltre il Colle: December 2025 programme, what 2024 and 2023 were like, for children and families, bad weather, access.

WhenUsually in December
WherePiazza Carrara, the Arena and the Pro Loco office, Oltre il Colle
Organised byPro Loco di Oltre il Colle

In December Christmas in the main village happens in the square, between the Immaculate Conception holiday and the week after Christmas. In 2025, on Sunday 7 December, piazza Carrara hosted the old trades, a demonstration of how cheese is made from milk, the Gioppino puppets in the Arena and children's workshops at the Pro Loco; on Sunday 28 December, «Natale in famiglia» (Christmas with the family), markets from 9 am to 6 pm and a family show at 3.30 pm. The programme changes every year: in 2024 there were an inflatable Christmas village in piazza Arena and Father Christmas's house at Casa Perletti.

It returns every year: the date shown is that of the latest documented edition, the next one should be confirmed with the organisers. Last documented edition: 7 December 2025.

The December 2025 programme

The La Voce delle Valli listings report two days. For the Immaculate Conception the event was called «Il calore delle feste nel cuore del paese» (the warmth of the holidays in the heart of the village) and was cancelled in case of bad weather; for «Natale in famiglia», on 28 December, the planned shelter in case of bad weather was the parish centre.

  • Sunday 7 December, piazza Carrara: from 1 to 3 pm the old trades, «from the woods we create the art of needle and thread»
  • Sunday 7 December, 2 pm: «dal latte nasce il formaggio» (cheese is born from milk) demonstration with a farm
  • Sunday 7 December, 3 pm, Arena: traditional Bergamo puppets, «Il Gioppino e la principessa stregata», with the advice to dress warmly and bring a cushion for the stone steps
  • Sunday 7 December, at the Pro Loco: children's workshops, Christmas decorations from 10.30 to 11.30 am and greeting cards from 1.30 to 3.30 pm
  • Sunday 28 December: markets in the square from 9 am to 6 pm and at 3.30 pm the family show «La slitta di Babbo Natale» (Father Christmas's sleigh)
  • Sunday 28 December, same day: the polenta cunsada lunch in the square in Zorzone and, at 9 pm, the band's Christmas concert in the parish church

What Christmas 2024 and Christmas 2023 were like

In 2024 the programme was longer. On 8 December Father Christmas's house at Casa Perletti, markets in piazza Arena from 9 am to 6 pm, a fairy-tale workshop at Villa Perletti, the cheese demonstration and free guided tours of the Zorzone Mineralogical Museum; on 15 and 22 December children's workshops at Villa Perletti. From 22 to 27 December piazza Arena hosted an inflatable Christmas village; on Christmas Eve Father Christmas with presents, for 3 euros, on the 26th a treasure hunt with a snack, for 5 euros, on the 27th and 28th the Christmas markets in piazza Arena, with a chocolate-sculpting demonstration, and on the 28th a roving show from Zambla Alta.

In 2023, Valbrembanaweb wrote, the village lit up from 8 December: markets in via Perletti, ponies along the streets of Grimoldo, Casa Perletti reopened after restoration with Father Christmas at weekends until Christmas, a wooden Nativity in a hut in the square and, after dark, a video-mapping show that made snow fall on the house façades, promoted by the municipality. On 30 December 2023 the day of markets and magic ended with the year-end concert in the parish church.

For children and families: what to expect

In all three years the thread is the same: markets, children's workshops, a family show, Father Christmas and some demonstrations of crafts and cheese-making. Shows in the Arena are watched from open-air stone steps, and some events, like the 2025 Immaculate Conception one, are cancelled in bad weather: the 2026 programme has not been published as of 1 October, and the Pro Loco announces it on its website and social media pages.

The weather in December and how to get there

In December, in the 1991-2020 averages of the ERA5 reanalysis for the main village, the minimum is about −5 °C and the maximum 3 °C, with about 40 centimetres of fresh snow in the month in an average winter. You park near the parish church, where OpenStreetMap marks a free public car park; Arriva's line B reaches piazza Tiraboschi from Monday to Saturday, but does not run on Sundays and public holidays.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions: Christmas markets and festivities in the village

Are there Christmas markets at Oltre il Colle?

Yes, in the square of the main village: in 2025 on 7 December, for the Immaculate Conception, and on 28 December with «Natale in famiglia», from 9 am to 6 pm; in 2024 on 8, 27 and 28 December in piazza Arena.

When are the Christmas festivities in the village?

Between the Immaculate Conception and the days after Christmas. The December 2026 programme has not been published yet: the Pro Loco announces it on its website and social media pages.

What is there for children at Christmas at Oltre il Colle?

Workshops at the Pro Loco or at Villa Perletti, the Gioppino puppets, family shows and, in 2023 and 2024, Father Christmas's house at Casa Perletti.

What happens if it snows or rains?

It depends on the event: in 2025 the Immaculate Conception festivities were cancelled in case of bad weather, while «Natale in famiglia» moved to the parish centre.

Sources

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