Christmas at the Palace, which takes place at the Brukenthal National Museum, in Sibiu, Transylvania, is the most important Christmas fair organized in a museum space in Europe, the organizers announced in a press release on Tuesday.

"Christmas at the Palace is an event much appreciated by locals and tourists. If we think that last year more than 150,000 visitors visited us, it means that we did a good job. It is a project organized together with Focus Events, and I would like to thank Sebastian Marcovici, and, starting this year, it is co-financed by the City Hall of Sibiu, and I also thank the mayor Astrid Cora Fodor. For several years I have tried to emphasize that the Brukenthal National Museum, an important institution in Sibiu, serves the community. We belong to the community, we work in the Sibiu community. Even if we are an institution subordinated to the Ministry of Culture, the only institution of this kind in the county, the Brukenthal National Museum must become an institution increasingly more assimilated by the Sibiu community. Christmas at the Palace is also an extraordinary public event. A marketing and entertainment event that puts us in first place in Europe," said the manager of the museum, Alexandru Constantin Chituta.

According to him, "there is such a fair in the courtyard of Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna, but our project is much broader in terms of activities. This year's event also brought some surprises, such as the light net on Xenopol street, where the second entrance of the Brukenthal National Museum is located, and the community table event, also a unique event. Christmas at the Palace is an event that demonstrates that Brukenthal is more than a museum! It is important today, against those who would like us to limit our activity very much, to show that museums must become cultural hubs, institutions where people can come and have a good time".

Until the end of the year, some of the most beautiful inner courtyards of the city will host several special product wooden cottages, a food area where visitors will find the most appreciated brands of Sibiu and a stall where they can buy different Brukenthal brand products realized for this season, a photoshoot area, a decoration over six meters high in the middle of the courtyard, lights and lasers, as well as a stage on which ANTENNA, Abasc, JazzyBIT, LOWELT, FunkyDrop, SOCERON, Cipi Hampu, Los Vagabondos, Roberto, Mikhy, Szabo, Iustin Borbely will perform on weekends.

This year's edition brings a new street decoration in Sibiu. Xenopol Street has come to life in a spectacular way this winter with an art installation called "Community Lights".

According to the organizers, the project is more than a simple decorative arrangement, it is a symbol of solidarity, cultural joy and the unity of a community that has proven, over time, its cohesion and innovative spirit.

"Community Lights reflect the values that bring us together: empathy, generosity and the desire to build a brighter future. In a sign of solidarity, the lights pulsate symbolically, creating a sense of "breathing together" - a visual metaphor for our interconnectedness as a society," says Sebastian Marcovici.

At the same time, the installation offers an opportunity for cultural entertainment through a varied program of associated events: musical performances, artistic moments and community storytelling sessions. It emphasizes the role of art as a universal language, able to overcome barriers and bring souls closer together.

The project, realized with the support of local authorities and the artistic community of Sibiu, marks a strong commitment to community unity. Through collaboration and creative initiatives, urban spaces become platforms for meeting and dialogue.

"Community Lights" aims to inspire every passer-by to take part in this luminous experience and reflect on the power of community in moments of challenge and hope.

The dome of lights was realized by the team "Lights with Story", with the support of the main partner of Christmas at the Palace, Banca Transilvania. This installation will remain in place throughout the year, transforming Xenopol Street into a particularly attractive and Instagrammable place.

The light installation will be donated to the Sibiu City Hall by the Focus Sibiu Association and will remain an emblematic element for the city. This initiative reflects the commitment to a modern and open Sibiu, where art and community meet to create an unforgettable story.

Christmas at the Palace also brought this year a project appreciated by locals and tourists, the Community Dinner. Hundreds of people gathered on November 30, Xenopol Street, towards the entrance of the second courtyard of the Brukenthal Palace.

The Community Dinner is an innovative and exciting concept that brought people together around a giant table. The idea for this special dinner was born out of the desire to bring the community closer together and to give life to Xenopol Street, which became pedestrianized 2 years ago. This urban transformation gave birth to the idea of the community meal. Participants, locals and tourists alike, were invited to bring food, hot drinks and other goodies from home to share with others. Without any commercial intent, the event was governed by the principle "sharing is caring".

"There were people bringing apple pies, hot teas, even a gingerbread basket. Several restaurants in the area contributed platters of food. The idea was to create a dialogue in the community, to gather people from all walks of life at the same table," Sebastian Marcovici went on to say. AGERPRES (RO - author: Isabela Paulescu, editor: George Onea; EN - editor: Simona Iacob)