Scheduled for Saturday, December 5, is the lighting of the ’Thousand Lights of the Holidays“ with which Loano will officially kick off the celebration of the holiday season.
“For many years, the switching on of the ‘Thousand Holiday Lights’ has marked the beginning of the Christmas season in our city,‘ explains Mayor Luigi Pignocca, ’The artistic illuminations that decorate every corner of Loano (from west to east and from the sea to the hinterland) create a warm and enveloping atmosphere that enraptures residents and tourists alike and immediately projects them into a ‘fairy tale’ dimension. One-of-a-kind installations (everyone remembers the 18-meter tree composed of thousands of LED lights and the big comet star placed in Piazza Italia or the big ”Christmas ball' in Piazza Rocca) have become genuine tourist attractions: every year children and adults queue up to see them up close and have their photo taken next to them.".
“Due to the health emergency, this year's Christmas celebrations will also be different than usual. We will have to give up all those moments that, at Loano, make this period unique: waiting with excitement for the switching on of the lights in Italy Square; taking a walk among the little houses of the Christmas ‘village’; listening to the ‘Music of the Soul’ or discovering the ‘Books Under the Tree’; shivering entering the water for the ‘Swimming Compete’ or greeting the arrival of the New Year with the New Year's Eve in the square and fireworks. With the illuminations we equally tried to give all our fellow citizens and guests some of that warmth and atmosphere that makes Christmas the most special time of the year. Today by remembering how it is, tomorrow by returning to experience it fully.’.
“Despite the ongoing health emergency,‘ adds Tourism Councillor Remo Zaccaria, ’our city administration wanted to renew the ‘Thousand Holiday Lights’ project for Christmas 2020 as well, also in order to alleviate people's worries and ”make them feel' the Christmas atmosphere. The lights also aim to create aggregation at the points of greatest interest and where the highest number of businesses are located, thus helping to boost their attendance by potential customers. This is a key factor in this generally difficult economic phase.".
A large tree over 15 meters high and composed of thousands of LED lights will be placed in Italy Square, while a 5-meter high star will be placed in Rocca Square. Other lights and decorations will be placed in Via Martiri delle Foibe and Corso Europa (at the entrance and exit of the “carruggio”), in Via Nazario Sauro, in Corso Roma, in Piazza Mazzini, in Via Genova, in Via Dante, in Via Cesarea, in Via Stella, in Verzi, at the parish of the Capuchin Fathers, in Via dei Gazzi, in Via Trento e Trieste, in Palestro Square, in Italy Square, in Massena Square, in Pascoli Street, in Monte Carmelo, in Raimondi Street, in Ricciardi Street, in Rocca Street, in Opisso Street, in Al Giardino Street, on Madonna di Loreto waterfront, in Doria Street, at the Turchini Oratory in Italy Square, in Verzi Square, taken the traffic circles on Aurelia.
But that's not all: “To make Christmas 2020 more special, we have decided to set up something truly unique right on the facade of Palazzo Doria. A surprise that we do not want to reveal anything about and that all Lovran residents will be able to admire with their own eyes in the coming days.”.
