FESTA Italiana, Manchester’s first, free festival of Italian food, drink and culture, rolls into town on Friday June 23, transforming Cathedral Gardens into ‘Little Italy’ throughout the weekend.
The event is a celebration of all things Italian, bringing an authentic street party to the city centre with street food, produce markets, live music, workshops, demonstrations, kids activity and lashings of prosecco, naturally.
Producers are coming from all over the country, with many visiting Manchester direct from Italy, especially for the occasion, selling their produce in the fine food market but it’s also a showcase for some of the city’s best restaurants and pop-up vendors.
Here are 10 things you must try at the festival…
Sip on fine Italian wines: True Terroir will be bringing their range of Italian wines. Festival goers will be able to taste different wines, which will be available to buy by the glass to drink at the festival, or by the bottle to enjoy at home. They will also be offering small cicchetti, freshly prepared on their stand.
Devour 50 Metres of Pizza: On Sunday, June 25 at 2pm, Salvi’s are recreating the 20 metre pizza they staged at the Manchester Food and Drink Festival Italian Day last year. This time they aim to beat the record and plan to make 50 metres of pizza, all to be devoured on site. Slices will be available to buy, with a bottle of Peroni for £5.
Cool down with real gelato: Joe Delucci’s will be serving scoops of their traditional, Italian gelato, the world’s best ice cream.
Taste some real limoncello: The Pallini Limoncello truck will be selling small shots of limoncello and limoncello spritz, which is a refreshing, zest drink of limoncello mixed with prosecco.
Enjoy an Italian beer: Expect not one but two Italian beer bars on Cathedral Gardens. The Birra Moretti bar will be pulling pints of their fine Italian lager. The Peroni bar will be serving ice-cold bottles of beer, including their new range, Peroni Ambra, which is their traditional beer infused with Chinotto.
Savour fine Italian meat and cheeses: Get your cheese fix with Cibosano, artisan producers of Italian deli products. Think buffalo mozzarella, burrata, taleggio and more, alongside their full range of produce including cured meats and sausages.
Sample freshly made ricotta: Italian cheese makers Caseificio Sommese will be coming to Manchester especially for Festa Italiana and will be making fresh ricotta on site for guests to try!
Toast with glass of prosecco: Celebrate the occasion with a glass of prosecco from wine merchants, Con Gusto.
Enjoy 241 on Aperol Spritz: Sit on a vespa seat or lounge in an orange hammock while enjoying your classic, Italian aperitivo. The Aperol team will be mixing up this wonderful summery cocktail, and what’s more, they will be 2 for 1 all weekend long.
Experience real Italian porcetta: San Carlo are serving porcetta a savoury, fatty and moist boneless pork roast of Italian culinary tradition. A real authentic, Italian treat served, street food style by one of Manchester’s best Italian restaurants.
Festa Italiana, Friday, June 23-Sunday, June 25, 11am-11pm each day. Cathedral Gardens, Manchester. The Festival Piazza will be free to attend and other events and activities will be taking place at Salvi’s restaurants and other venues in the city.