Bucharest celebrated the most beautiful time of the year with a marathon of Christmas carols, with thousands of turns in the panoramic wheel and carousel, hundreds of ice dances at the ice rink and as many sweet cakes, gifts and souvenirs bought from artisans from all corners of the country at the Bucharest Christmas Market 2022. With over 900,000 visitors in the five weeks, the Constitution Square Market was among the most sought-after destinations of the capital’s winter holidays.
Held between November 20 and December 26, 2022, in Constitution Square, this year’s edition was organized by the Capital City Hall, through ARCUB – the Cultural Center of the Municipality of Bucharest, PROEDUS – the Center for Educational and Sports Projects Bucharest and CREART – the Center for Creation, Art and Tradition of the Municipality of Bucharest.
During the five weeks of the Fair, hundreds of thousands of Bucharest residents and tourists visited the magical land of Constitution Square for the amusement park, concerts, Christmas shopping, street food and, last but not least, meetings with Santa Claus. During the World Football Championship in Qatar, football fans watched live the 64 matches of the edition, transmitted by TVR, and chanted and applauded in large numbers the final between Argentina and France on December 18.
Despite the cold outside, the festive atmosphere at the Bucharest Christmas Fair was maintained by over 200 artists who brought the magic of Christmas to Constitution Square through 57 live performances. After Andra opened the series of concerts with an explosive show on November 30, the Wallachia National Orchestra marked Romania’s National Day with popular songs and dances, and the evening of Saint Nicholas came with a musical gift brought by soprano Felicia Filip.
The Constitution Square became crowded at the IRIS rock concert by Cristi Minculescu, Valter and Boro, the audience cheered up choirs and Serbs at the folk music concerts of Ilie Caraş, Florin Grigore, applauded the Bessarabians from Calancea’s LUPII and hummed the choruses of folk carols sung by Ducu Bertzi and Mircea Baniciu.
Exciting moments were brought to Constitution Square by Nicolae Voiculeţ’s pan flute, the Maramures carols of the Ma Ra Mu project and the Byzantine music of Maria Coman. Christmas in the classical style was brought to the Fair in Piaţa Constituetiei by soprano Ana Cebotari, countertenor Cezar Ouatu and Operetta Stars.
The visitors of the Bucharest Christmas Market spent Christmas Eve and the first day of Christmas in the enchanting sounds of the concerts of Paula Seling and Narcissa Suciu, two consecrated voices of Romanian carolers. The musical Christmas in Piaţa Constituţiei ended with a concert of „Winter Songs” performed with sensitivity and humour by the beloved artist Nicu Alifantis.
During the four concerts weekends, established names of choral music, such as the Radio Children’s Choir, folklore ensembles and brass bands, as well as children’s choirs and vocal groups from some schools and high schools from Bucharest, entered the Cantus Mundi National Program.
