The event is organised by Santa Maria da Feira municipality in the district of Aveiro, through the municipal company Feira Viva. The "Perlim" Christmas park will have the highly anticipated arrival of Santa Claus on the 24 December and will run until 30 December, its doors being open to the public for 22 days.

The initiative will continue to have the Quinta do Castelo gardens as its main venue and will include activities inside the castle itself, because, although part of its wall has recently collapsed due to the effect of intense rain in an area subject to construction, this national monument remains “visitable”.

The president of the municipality, Emídio Sousa, assured that “the castle meets all the security conditions to once again be part of 'Perlim', whether inside or outside, where the daily closing show will take place at 7:00 pm with fireworks.”

In addition to the castle, there are three other areas associated with 'Perlim', but operating autonomously: the Christmas market, which, after a first edition in 2022, returns to Largo do Rossio with crafts, restaurants and a show at 7pm as well as the new ice rink, arranged around the wooden structure known as “the ship”.

The ice rink will occupy an area of ​​20 by 16 meters, including the cutout for the ship, and will be complemented with surrounding spaces for user movement and business events.

In all structures, the transversal theme of 2023 is the four seasons of the year, regarding which the organisation states: “It is in the unique beauty of difference that originality emerges, the most special of all virtues. From the combination of all the characteristics of the different seasons, as unique as they are special, the most beautiful work of art is born: nature.”

Different aspects of the climate will therefore inspire the scenarios and characters of the various contents of Quinta do Castelo, including theatre shows and themed areas such as Lapland, the pirates' cave, the dance arena, the classic carousel, the sledding ramp and the tree climbing and 'slide' sections.

To facilitate access to this offer, the City Council will again offer an entry ticket to all children who, residing in the municipality, attending pre-school education or the 1st Cycle of Basic Education in the public or private network. This year, for the first time, the municipality offer also includes a ticket to the circus.

Free admission, for life, is also provided for all children born at Hospital São Sebastião between November 25th and December 30th, 2023. Last year, the privileged access card to 'Perlim' was given to 67 boys and 52 girls.

All these components imply a budget that the Feira Chamber places at 900,000 euros.

If the weather conditions do not affect the flow of visitors, the event should be financially self-sustainable, and, in an ideal context, the box office will ensure 80% of the revenue and the remaining 20% ​​will result from 'merchandising', space rental and sponsors.

The Chamber's current strategy for the Christmas season involves reinforcing programming involving other agents and resources. “We made an unprecedented commitment to an integrated Christmas program for the entire territory, with dozens of cultural, gastronomic and leisure proposals that complement the 'Perlim' offer in other dimensions and that energise the city on days when the event does not take place”, explained Emídio Sousa.