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Welcome to Seattle's 24th Annual -
Festa Italiana!
Festa Italiana is actually a series of events
held in late September which culminates in a major Italian
Festival at Seattle Center.
For the past 23 years Festa Italiana has celebrated the cultural
roots of Italians and Italian-Americans by presenting and
promoting the arts, the food and the spirit that are uniquely
Italian. (Photo by Bruce Turner)
Come join us in the beautiful Fisher Pavilion
and the surrounding grounds and buildings at Seattle
Center as once again we present the Taste of Italy, Friday,
September 23, and the 24th Annual Italian Festival, September
24 & 25, 2011. Times are 10AM
- 9PM, Saturday and 10AM - 6PM, Sunday.
Our highlights include Rossella Rago headlining
a great schedule of cooking demos, two performances daily
of Sicilian puppetry by
the Carter
Family Marionettes and a free all-ages concert starring
Enrico Capuano
& Tarantellarock to close the show on Sunday evening.
By popular demand, the Food
Court has been expanded as well.
As always, again we will offer a wide
array of cultural and educational opportunities in which to
participate and learn. Year after year, however, our main
attractions continue to be food, entertainment, and fun for
the entire family!
Italy's #1 World Music
Group
Coming to Festa!
| Enrico
Capuano & Tammurriatarock from Rome, Italy
will star in a free, all-ages concert and dance at the
Italian Festival, Sunday evening, September 25th at 4
PM. Combining elements of rock, world music and Italian
tarantella. The band is considered one of Italy's most
exciting live concert attractions. In fact, their many
videos of outdoor performances all over Europe have made
them YouTube darlings. Check out their bio, watch videos
and download photos here.
This is the original Tarantella Rock! |
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Saturday,
September 10
Traditional Mass in
Italian
5:00 PM at Our Lady of Mt. Virgin Church
2800 S. Massachusetts St. in Seattle, 98144
Free Reception to follow. |
Tuesday, September 20
The Italian Club presents
The Festa Italiana
Luncheon
11:30 AM in the beautiful Garden Court
of the Fairmont Olympic Hotel
in downtown Seattle. Keynote speaker
Kevin Calabro, radio host for
710 ESPN Seattle, and the Presentation
of the Gill Centioli Memorial Award
to an outstanding local Italian-American.
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Friday, September 23
"Taste of Italy"
Wine Tasting
& Opening Reception
7 PM Exhibition Hall at Seattle Center.
Great wine, antipasto & live music |
| Saturday-Sunday,
September 24 & 25
The 24th Annual Italian Festival
at the Seattle Center
Everyone is invited - Admission is FREE! |
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Rising
Star Rossella Rago
Celebrity Chef for 2011
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|  photo
by Jeff Barreca
The organizers of Festa Italiana
are excited to announce that the Celebrity Chef at the
2011 Italian Festival will be WebTV star Rossella Rago,
host of the online culinary show "Cooking
with Nonna." Since 2009, Rossella has been interviewing
the "greatest chefs in the world" - our Italian
grandmothers - and sharing their recipes and cooking techniques
with homemakers and food preparers everywhere.
In July 2010, Rossella was the leader
of "Team Nonna" consisting of herself, her
mother Angela and her own nonna, Romana. Together they
participated in the Food Network's "24 Hour Restaurant
Battle" hosted by chef Scott Conant and with a
beautiful recreation of a Pugliese Masseria and an authentic
Pugliese menu, they were proclaimed the winners of "Battle
Italiano!" Complete
bio. Rossella appears at Festa at 3 PM each day
but in her Sunday appearance, she'll team-up onstage
with a "Nonna." Our "Nonna" has
been found! Enza Sorrentino form Ristorante Enza will
be onstage with Rossella on Sunday at 3 PM. To Want
to know more? Click here.
Nick's
Back! Rossella's appearance both days will  be
preceded by Chef Nick Stellino whose engaging personality
and expertise make "Nick Stellino Cooking with
Friends" one of Public Television's most popular
cooking series. Recently featured in the famous movie
"Twilight," Nick has been a stalwart at Festa
through the years to the delight of his many fans. His
demos will be sponsored by Electrolux and C&H Sugar.
Visit Nick's website.
For sixteen years now, the attendees
at the Italian Festival have been learning secrets from
the masters at the "Great Italian
Chefs" cooking demonstrations outdoors in the
piazza. Featuring nationally-known Celebrity Chefs and
local chefs from Seattle's best Italian restaurants,
previous luminaries on our stage have included have
included Mario Batali, Giuliano Bugali, Biba Caggiano,
Michael Chiarello, Rocco DiSpirito, Mary Ann Esposito,
Michol Negrin, Christina Pirello, Nick Stellino, and
in 2010, the exuberant Anne Burrell.
See all
the recipes for the "Great
Italian Chefs" from 2011. |
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| Festa's World-Famous
Grape Stomp - Jump in with both feet and make wine
as they used to in the old country. Put together a three-person
team and compete for T-shirts and great prizes. What
a Show! More Grape Stomp information.
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DeLaurenti
Bocce Tournament - Now
on four courts in the Seattle Center Pavilion,
this Italian version of lawn bowling is always one of
our most popular events. Tournament rules and Bocce
information. |
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| Attractions and exhibits
include children's activities in the Kid's Courtyard,
Italian and Italian-American arts and craft, a pizza
toss, an Italian Classic Vehicle
show, the FOTOITALIANA Gallery
Show of contemporary Italy and a chance to relive
memories of Seattle's original Italian families in the
Historical Photo Display.
Plus pizza,
pasta, prosciutto, salami, focaccia, gelato, espresso
and more! |
Want
a Complete List of Vendors & Exhibitors?
Click Here!
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