In depth
What it is
Un Borgo di Presepi is the widespread Christmas display of Borgo Tossignano, a small municipality in the Santerno valley near Imola. From early December to Epiphany, the village streets and piazza Don Bosco transform into an open-air route with over one hundred nativity scenes, created by families, residents, schools and local associations. It is organised by the Pro Loco di Borgo Tossignano together with the comitato della Sagra di San Bartolomeo and the municipal administration, and has reached its eleventh edition.
What makes it special
It is not a single nativity scene but an entire village that transforms into a nativity display: over one hundred nativity scenes appear on windows, balconies, doorsteps, gardens and corners of private homes, as well as in the public spaces of the village. Materials, styles and sizes are extremely varied, because each family, school or association creates their own work using freely chosen techniques, from traditional figurines to recycled materials. An external jury visits the display and awards prizes to the three most original works, an incentive that encourages participants to renew themselves each year. The most unusual feature is precisely the setting: not an enclosed space, but the entire village that becomes an open-air exhibition to discover whilst walking through the streets.
Origins and history
The initiative was born from an idea by the comitato della Sagra di San Bartolomeo di Borgo Tossignano, with the aim of dressing the village festively during the Christmas holidays. Given the great enthusiasm and participation of residents from the first editions, the event has been repeated every year, growing in the number of nativity scenes displayed and in the involvement of local schools and associations. Over time, the organisation has also passed to the village's two Pro Loco, in collaboration with the Municipality, whilst the programme has been enriched with a Christmas market, a food stand and entertainment for children. Available sources do not report a precisely documented founding date; in the most recent edition, Un Borgo di Presepi reached its eleventh edition.
What to see
Walking through the streets of Borgo Tossignano, visitors encounter nativity scenes of every kind: traditional figurines, compositions with recycled materials, displays with moss and wood in the spirit of Romagna's peasant tradition, right through to interpretations designed by children from the village schools. The nativity scenes occupy windows, balconies, courtyards and small gardens, composing an itinerary that winds through the entire town centre as far as piazza Don Bosco, the heart of the side events. Here, on opening day, the Christmas market takes place, a food stand with traditional peasant dishes such as passatelli in brodo, lesso with polpettone and cotechino, and entertainment for children with the arrival of Father Christmas, ficattola and vin brûlé.
When and how to visit
Un Borgo di Presepi is usually held during the Christmas period, from early December to Epiphany. In the last documented edition, the route was open from 8 December to 6 January, with the inauguration on 8 December at 10 am with the Christmas market, opening of the food stand at 12 noon and children's entertainment from 2:30 pm. The nativity scene route through the village streets can be freely visited on foot, with no entrance ticket; any purchases at the market or food point are paid for separately. For dates and times of the current edition, it is advisable to check the Pro Loco di Borgo Tossignano website, as they are not yet confirmed with certainty.
