Festitalia
Complete with quirky family games for Father's Day — and lots of eating.
Overview
What's better than eating pizza? Not much, really. But watching master chefs take part in a round of pizza acrobatics sounds like a great way to work up an appetite, doesn't it?
Image supplied
That's just one of the events on offer at Festitalia, Brisbane's annual celebration of all things Italian. Yes, plenty of other Italian-themed festivities pop up across the year, but this is the only official shindig hosted by the Italian Consulate in Brisbane and the Italian Embassy in Canberra.
On September 7, they'll fill Brisbane Showgrounds with artists, entertainers, dancers, singers and performers — and food experiences, of course. Toast to Italy with a cheeky limoncello and eat your way through the country with over 30 stalls dishing out everything from espresso, cannoli and gnocchi to tiramisu, biscotti and gelato. You can catch live cooking demos by Italian chefs, then dig into regional delicacies like spiedini (Italian-style kebab), fritto miso (battered bites) and risotto.
It's also the perfect spot to celebrate Father's Day — especially if dad's into fine wine, vintage Italian cars, or just a bit of friendly competition. Festitalia's quirky contests include Best-Dressed Italian Dad, Nonna's Slipper Throw and even Dad with the Biggest Pancia (belly!). Families can also get in on traditional games like tira molla (tug of war) and Italian-style musical statues.
When you're not eating or competing, there's plenty more to explore. You can wander through a Roman military camp, try your hand at Prima Spada fencing, enjoy a live opera performance and more.
Image: Piotr Grzankowski
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