The countdown is about to end. Palermo is preparing for New Year’s Eve with the now traditional concert in Piazza Politeama. Arisa, the speakers Marco and Raf and the Radio Kiss Kiss DJ set will accompany the people of Palermo and the many tourists visiting the Sicilian capital these days for the last hours of 2025. Then once midnight strikes, The Kolors are expected on stage, who will first perform in Bari, for the event which will be broadcast by Canale 5.
The show in the square
The show, promoted by the Municipality and organized by GoMad Concerti, will start at 9pm, but it is advisable to arrive earlier. The maximum stable capacity is 16 thousand spectators, of which 9 thousand in Piazza Castelnuovo and 7 thousand in Piazza Ruggero Settimo. Many tourists were present. The gates are scheduled to open at 8pm, with the Radio Kiss Kiss show starting at 9pm. Some logistical information may be subject to change after the last public order and safety committee which will be held on 30 December in the Prefecture.
New Year’s Eve, extraordinary trains in the night: special connections from Palermo to the airport and Cefalù
Marco and Raf from Radio Kiss Kiss, the national broadcaster which is the official partner of the event, will begin to warm up the audience before Arisa’s arrival. The singer-songwriter, winner of Sanremo in 2009 in the New proposals section with “Sincerità” and among the big names in 2014 with “Controvento”, should start performing around 10.20pm. At midnight, the toast with the mayor Roberto Lagalla and subsequently the arrival of Stash and the band that a couple of years ago produced the summer hit “Italodisco”, and then returned to make the Festival’s spectators dance in 2024 with “A boy a girl” and this year with “Tu con chi fai l’amore”. After pop, it will be time for dance with “The 40 who dance 90” and the artistic team made up of Fabio T. The Voice, Giampaolo Nuccio DJ, Alex Durante on percussion, the dance troupe of the Cubana Academy, the attractions of Giba & Mimì, the collaboration of Tony Jd and the artistic direction of Martina Amato. The show will end around 2.
New Year’s Eve, maxi traffic plan in the Politeama area: bans, closures and changes to traffic
The safety plan
To ensure the safe carrying out of the celebrations, the Municipality has prepared a detailed plan to limit pedestrian and vehicular circulation in the Politeama area. The ordinance, issued by the Traffic office, will be in force from 7 am on 31 December 2025 to 7 am on 1 January 2026.
Parking bans are in place in numerous streets and squares in the centre, including Piazza Castelnuovo, Piazza Ruggero Settimo, Piazza Aldo Moro, Piazza Sant’Oliva, Piazza Don Luigi Sturzo and large stretches of Via Libertà, Via Dante, Via XX Settembre and other neighboring streets. There will also be total closures to cars in many strategic streets in the area, including via Libertà in the stretch between piazzas Crispi and Mordini and piazzas Ruggero Settimo and Castelnuovo, with some exceptions for controlled crossings. Temporary changes to the road system are also expected with reversals of direction and new turning obligations.
In these days, access to the technical means for setting up the stage at the Politeama is clearly permitted, while concessions are provided for people with disabilities. However, circulation on the cycle paths in the area is suspended starting from 7am on 31 December. The Municipality invites citizens and visitors to pay attention to temporary signs, to plan travel in advance and to favor public transport and alternative routes.
Useful information for accessing the square
Entrance to Piazza Ruggero Settimo (starting from 8pm) from:
- Via Ruggero Settimo
- Via Dante
- Piazza Sant’Oliva
- Freedom Street
Exit Piazza Ruggero Settimo
- Via Ruggero Settimo
- Freedom Street
- Is
- Via Paternostro
- Via XX Settembre
Accessibility:
- There is an area reserved for people with disabilities near the stage
- Recommended entrance: Via F. Turati
Services:
- Toilets positioned in different points of the area
- First Aid Unit (Pma) active in the Piazza Castelnuovo area
- Presence of emergency vehicles along the perimeter
The ordinance against barrels
As usual, Mayor Lagalla also signed the ordinance which prohibits the explosion of barrels and firecrackers throughout the municipal territory. The measure will be valid from 30 December to 2 January. Administrative sanctions of 500 to 5,000 euros are foreseen for violators, with possible criminal consequences in the most serious cases.
