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Evviva! While a European summer escape to Rome, Venice or Tuscany might not be on the cards right now, Brisbane’s massive Italian festival is the ultimate consolation prize.
On Sunday, September 20, the RNA Brisbane Showgrounds will transform for Festitalia – the city’s largest celebration of Italian food, music, culture and community. This one-day spectacle promises a fun day out for the whole family, complete with a 10,000-cannoli feast, traditional folk dancing, opera singing, slipper throwing and more.
As with any classic Italian celebration, food is the beating heart of the festival. You’ll be transported to the sun-drenched piazzas and bustling markets of Italy with spit-roasted porchetta, smoky spiedini skewers, pillowy gnocchi, golden focaccia and fresh-fried calamari. Save room for sweet treats, like cloud-soft tiramisu and crispy cannoli – with an impressive 10,000 expected to be rolled for the big day. Of course, you’ll want to wash it all down with a freshly pulled espresso or a glass of Italian wine, of which there’ll be plenty!
Between bites, you can relax while listening to live opera performances or hit the dance floor with the traditional tarantella (folk dance) troupe. You can also look forward to ancient Roman cooking demonstrations, mozzarella making, tug-of-war contests, military displays and a hilarious slipper-throwing contest. To top it off, world-champion pizza acrobat Youssef Ben Touati will return with his flying dough and circus moves.
You can explore the Festitalia program and get tickets ($22 for adults and free for kids under 12) here.