Orvieto has simple and beautiful Christmas lights. In a few days Jazz Festival will start.
A stage is put also in the Duomo to be ready to start Jazz Festival. They should prepare within a few days after Christmas!!
Jazz Festival on the day of the parade. You will feel lively that the festival is coming slowly.
Piazza del Popolo, Orvieto's largest square. Here the New Year's countdown is done. On December 31 around 23.00, many people gather keeping sparkling wine in one hand.
"3,2,1, Cheers!!!" A special stage is placed in the square and a big band starts playing Jazz loudly.
A tranquil town of Orvieto becomes maximally excited to once a year !
Orvieto is one of the world's most beautiful towns on the hill. It's described as a heavenly town, which keeps the medieval atmosphere like a labyrinth of narrow paths. That characterizes the peaceful and relaxing town. However, in such a small town, an attracting and exciting day comes once a year. That's "Umbria Jazz Winter Festival". From the end of the year until the New Year's period, in total five days, the town becomes full of jazz musics. Can you believe that this Jazz Festival is the largest one in Europe?
Actually, the Umbria Jazz Festival is held twice a year, in summer and winter. Venue of the summer is Perugia, the capital of Umbria region. And in winter, here in Orvieto. Since Orvieto is very small town, during the "Winter Festival" all over the town becomes an attractive jazz town. Many world's leading jazz musicians and fans gather in this small walled town.
It's held just five days from the end of each year until the New Year's period. Usually the atmosphere of Christmas remains until the New Year in Italy. However, the town of Orvieto starts preparations for the jazz festival soon after Christmas.
During this period Orvieto becomes full of Jazz atmosphere. You can hear the soothing melody of Jazz everywhere, walking through the streets of the town. Not only squares, restaurants and theaters, but also museums or churches and underground caves become stages for Jazz exhibitions. Two concerts are organized also in the Gothic Duomo of Orvieto. On December 31, as a Last Supper of Jazz, a long playing continues until after midnight to celebrate the New Year. Then, in the afternoon of January 1, a Gospel songs concert from the U.S. team is held in this Duomo. Voice echo through the space surrounded by the impressive marble is really impressive.
The biggest highlight of the Festival would be Countdown of New Year's Eve, before Gospel of the New Year. A special stage is prepared in the Piazza del Popolo in the heart of the town. A lot of residents and tourists start to gather gradually around 23 o'clock. Also crews of the TV Broadcasting of Italian television are waiting, and the staffs start to illuminate the stage. At 23:59, keeping Spumante (Italian sparkling wine) in one hand, voices of people start to count down "Tre, Due, Uno"! At the moment of the New Year, everyone cry in chorus "Cheers!". A big band appears on the stage and loud jazz music starts. Please please come to Italy and visit this festival in Orvieto at least once.
Umbria Jazz Festival Winter in Orvieto
Dates: every New Year (ex. 29 December 2010 - 2 January 2011)
Umbria Jazz Festival official site
http://www.umbriajazz.com/
During Umbria Jazz period, not only tourists, but also musicians stay in Orvieto so it's very difficult to get a room. Especially hotels in downtown keep their rooms for musicians who come every year. Therefore it would be better to reserve a hotel until September at the latest.
Booking ORVIETO HOTELS, here!