Celebrate the arrival of spring, Brisbane Festival, or simply your palate with the unmissable Italian festival experience of Festitalia!
Experience la dolce vita right in the River City at Queensland’s official Italian festival that celebrates and immerses attendees in everything Italy, from the infectious passion of its people and melodic romance of its language, the cutting-edge elegance of Italian fashion, the beauty of its arts, and the exceptional wines and mouth-watering cuisine that have made their way all over the world.
Dating back all the way to 2006, Festitalia was first conceived of as a celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Italian Republic. With over 30,000 participants, that first New Farm Park event showed that the people of Brisbane were hungry for more, and the rest is history.
What to expect
As you might imagine, food is at the centre of it all, with over 30 flavour-makers bringing their best Italian-inspired dishes including authentic wood-fired pizza, pasta, gnocchi, risotto, arancini and, for those with a sweet tooth, cannoli — over 10,000 of them! — tiramisu, and more! Of course, no Italian feast would be complete without gelato and espresso to finish off the meal.
That might be the best time to enter into the Nonna’s Slipper Throw contest, or burn off the calories in a sack race competition. There will be other quirky contests and demonstrations such as tug-of-war, the traditional Tarantella dance, and even pizza acrobatics!
Italy’s long, varied and influential history will also be represented thanks to fascinating exhibitions such as a Roman village display, lively performances including opera, and a display of military uniforms and artifacts.
If you’d prefer something a bit more modern, Italian aerodynamic engineering and sleek design will get their time to shine with vintage Italian vehicles on display!
Although clearly there’s no risk of being bored, there will also be live entertainment, from duos and bands to stilt walkers, roving performers, and other surprises!
Practical information
This year’s Festitalia will take place on Sunday, September 20 from 10:40am to 5:40pm.
Check out the full program here.
Adult tickets start at $22 for early birds, and you can get yours here.
📍Brisbane Showgrounds, 600 Gregory Terrace, Bowen Hills
