NOW in its third year FESTA ITALIANA has confirmed its finest line-up yet across the three day, family-friendly celebration of all things Italian and foodie (Friday, July 26 to Sunday, July 28).
The action starts on the Friday from 6pm with Festa Fiero, an opening party in the Festa Marquee in Cathedral Gardens fuelled by the summer’s hot new ‘spritz’ cocktail Martini Fiero. It has been created by that most iconic of Italian drinks brands and the food news is there’ll be a free cocktail and free aperitivo for the first 200 people to arrive on site.
The Festa Marquee will be transformed into a Riviera-inspired party venue, where Martini experts will be making and serving Fiero and tonics ‘live’, all night long from a central bar.
The full Martini product range will be used to serve up a benchmark Italian cocktail list featuring Martini Negronis, Vodka Martinis and the fizzy twist on classic Negroni – the Sbagliato.
The laid-back soundtrack to sunset and beyond comes courtesy of local Italian party DJ, Cesarè and for those wanting to party straight after work, the Festa Fiero will have its own free glam station. Celebrity stylist Andrew Trott-Barn and his ATB team will be giving guests the perfect ‘Martini-ready’ party look.
Outside in Cathedral Gardens there’ll be a host of further Italian foodie temptations to enjoy in the UK’s biggest festival celebrating Italian food, drink and culture. Nearly 30,000 visitors flocked to last year’s free event, confirming its hold on the Manc imagination.
Open from 11am-11pm each day the programme will include live cookery demonstrations; an artisan Italian food market; a much bigger and more extensive kids’ fest, the Bambini Garden; Italian banquets, and bespoke bars From morning through to sundown there’ll be live music from bands flown over especially from Italy, alongside some of Manchester’s best DJs.
The event was founded by the Salvi’s Restaurant Group – Manchester’s experts in authentic Campania produce – and they are leading the street food line-up, open throughout the Festa from 11am until late…
Salvi’s – trademark authentic dishes will include Pizza Fritta (fried pizza!) and fresh pasta.
Rosso – Spring Gardens’ glamorous Italian restaurant, Rosso, will be serving Italian smoked meats and deli sandwiches.
Pizzas – served up by Wet Didsbury’s Proove and Magiamo’s fabulous Fiat 500 converted into a wood-fired pizza oven.
Cafe Cannoli – roving Sicilian street food specialists will be serving up fresh cannoli in ‘Carlotta’, their refrigerated cannoli cart.
Pasta Factory – antipasti and fresh pasta from Shudehill’s finest.
T'arricrii – Sicilian brothers Riccardo and Romeo will be coming to Festa for the first time with their popular arancini operation.
Cafe Latino - Real Italian coffee will come from these top roasters.
Taste It – Gelato and sorbetto from these trad producers taking Salford by storm.
Cabrelli Brothers – One of Manchester’s great Italian food families at the Festa for the first time, serving up saltimbocca and filled pizza bread.
Vive le Crepe – Festa staple bringing crepes filled with sweet and savoury toppings to Cathedral Gardens.
AND FOR DRINKS?
Peroni Italy Bar – from a chic mini beer pavilion.
Limoncello di Capri Cocktail Bar – serving up The Capri Spritz, mixed with premium tonic, topped with Prosecco and garnished with mint and strawberries.
Aperol – Lots of orange with hammocks and Vespa seating plus special Spritz deals.
Martini Fiero Lounge – celebrating this new red vermouth with a bittersweet orange taste. Mixed with Schweppes tonic and served over ice in a balloon glass with a blood orange wheel garnish, it will be available to buy on a special Festa offer of two for £10. Prosecco and Wine Bar – brought to you by Zonin. Check out their Prosecco Cuvee 1821, fine Italian wines and regular tasting throughout the festival.
Festa Italiana Cocktail Bar – serving an array of classics such as the Siciliana, Fresca, Negroni, G&T and Spritzer.
THE BIG EVENTS
‘Suburbs Meets City’ Neapolitan Festa banquet Hosted by food critic and and tour guide Jonathan Schofield, on Saturday,July 27, from 7.30pm, in the Festa Marquee two of the city’s top chefs go head to head.
Fellow Neapolitans Francesco Scafuri from Tre Ciccio (Altrincham, Bramhall and Ramsbottom) and city centre Salvi’s owner Maurizio Cecco, are create the ultimate four course banquet celebrating their home town. Tickets cost £50; buy them here.
The Italian Live Cookery Theatre On Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 (11am-5pm) at the Festa Marquee, the Live Cookery Theatre will showcase a host of Italian chefs from Manchester to Italy and beyond. This will include at 3pm on the Saturday a free cookery demo by telly chef Gennaro Contaldo (above), who will be signing copies of his books after. The full theatre schedule is here.
BAMBINI GARDENS – FILLING AND FUN FOR THE KIDS
FAMILY has always been a focus of Festa Italiana and there's a full programme of kids’ activities from 11am to 6pm. Head down the ‘Bambini Garden’, a VIP area for the little ones with bell tents each housing a different activity. The fun includes Venetian mask making, vegetable pot planting, face painting, jugglers and performers.
Plus Carmella Serano Hayes (above) will be hosting the Bambini Kitchen with free fresh pasta making workshops throughout the weekend. A Northants-based food writer, and cookery event planner, she loves to share her passion for home-cooked family dinners rooted in her native Puglia and Molise in Southern Italy.
There’s no need to book, families can just turn up on the day and join in. She will be teaching kids how to make pasta dough in a variety of shapes.
There’ll be plenty of kids’ food and drink options across the Festa site too, including lots of fresh juice, pizza, pasta, ice cream, crepes and Nutella. Full information and updates can be found on the festival website.