Vancouver’s Italian Day on The Drive

All things ‘Made in Italy’ set to take over Commercial Drive
Italy’s Classic Style Returns to Vancouver’s Italian Day on The Drive
Sunday, June 8, 2014

Vancouverites are getting ready for one of the biggest displays of all things Italian outside Italy, as Commercial Drive will be transformed on Sunday, June 8 for the 5th Annual Italian Day. As one of Vancouver’s most celebrated cultural festivals, Italian Day is a showcase of classic style, masterful design and superior quality that represents ‘Made in Italy.’ From inventions to Italian goods to lifestyle products, this year’s Italian Day celebrates everything that makes Italy unique – many of which are found in our very own backyard.

Last year, 300,000 attendees took over The Drive with a passion to embrace Italian culture and celebrate the contributions made to this city by Italian immigrants and subsequent generations of Italian-Canadians. Similar numbers are expected for this year’s festivities with activities that are fun for the whole family.

Event: Italian Day on the Drive
Location: Commercial Drive (which will be closed to motorized traffic with all festivities positioned along The Drive from 4th Avenue to Parker Street)
Date: Sunday, June 8, 2014
Time: 12:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Media Tent: Located on 2nd Ave and Commercial Drive
On-Site Contact: Brunella Gaudio – 604.728.8252

Recognized as Vancouver’s very own ‘Little Italy’, The Drive will be transformed into a vibrant street festival, with the goal of sharing the quality and wealth of Italian culture with Vancouver’s multi-cultural community. From food to performing arts, fashion, merchants and activities, Italy’s unmatched sense of style will be the centerpiece at this year’s event, which gets bigger and better each year.

NEW for Italian Day 2014:

•   ‘Made in Italy’ Museum – A large, walk-through display featuring various inventions and products created/designed by Italiansthat are part of our everyday lives
•   La Festa della Repubblica Tent – Stop by the tent after 2:00 pm (located at 2nd and Commercial) to celebrate Italy’s NationalDay and discover more about Italy’s culture and lifestyle. You will also learn about the upcoming Expo Milano 2015, which has the theme of Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life. The Expo Milano 2015 will take a deeper look at problems of nutrition and the resources of our planet, which are major challenges that are relevant to everyone today.
•   Book signing by Pino Posteraro (Cioppino’s Restaurant) – Chef of the Year (2014 Vancouver Magazine Awards) Pino Posteraro will be signing his book: Cioppino’s Mediterranean Grill
•   Fashion Show by Romielle Designs with Kalena Shoes – Local mother/daughter designer team (Anastacia and Irina Shorohov) will show off their 50s-inspired Euro/Sophia Loren women’s couture collection with Kalena Shoes – a long-standing family-run Commercial Drive business – which will provide shoes to complete the ultra-feminine looks. Established in 1967, Kalena’s was named after the owner’s hometown in the Molise region of Italy and is proud to offer the largest selection of Italianshoes and accessories in Vancouver.
•   Vancouver Whitecaps FC – Whitecaps FC will be on-site with the goal of entertaining kids and adults alike
•   Fiat, Vespa and Ducati, oh my! – These gorgeous Italian cars will be on display inside the ‘Made in Italy’ Museum
•   Carmelina Cupo and Antonio Cupo – International singer/songwriter Carmelina Cupo is once again the host of this year’sItalian Day, and is excited to share the main stage on 2nd Avenue this year with her brother, actor Antonio Cupo, best known in North America for his role on the hit TV series Bomb Girls.
•   Fazioli Piano and Child Prodigies – Be mesmerized by young child prodigies (many from the Vancouver Young Pianist Club) as they perform classical music from 1:00pm – 6:00pm in the ‘Made in Italy’ tent on the Fazioli piano, which is considered to be one of the highest quality pianos in the world.

Back by Popular Demand:

•   Two main stages – Featuring presentations, music and dancing throughout the day
•   Italian-inspired food contests – You don’t want to miss out on pasta eating and grape stomping
•   Little Italy Kids Zone – Engage your little ones with arts, crafts and games
•   Funswing – A great way to keep your kids entertained, located at Grandview Park
•   Bocce Court – Show off your bocce skills, located at 3rd and Commercial
•   Opera – Be mesmerized by performances by the Vancouver City Opera and the Vancouver Opera
•   Italian folkloric dance and choirs – Stomp along as adults and children alike keep alive the culture and traditions of the Veneto region of Italy
•   Famee Furlane dancers – Witness the beautiful and gentle signature courting dance that originates from the region of Friuli called La Furlane
•   Live Italian music – Pop and contemporary Italian music by showman Federico Fuoco and international singer/songwriter Carmelina Cupo never fails to capture the audience’s attention
•   Langley Ukulele Ensemble – This Ukulele youth group is sure to draw a crowd!
•   And much, much more!

As always, there will be food options galore to satisfy all of your Italian food cravings, including gelato, cannoli and pizza. Make sure you check out Bella Gelateria, Italia Bakery, Via Tevere, Dolce Amore and more. With its Tuscan-inspired patio setup and authentic Italian cuisine, Federico’s Supper Club is just one of the many Commercial Drive restaurants that will be extending its business with an outdoor patio so you can take in some sun and rest your feet. Italian associations, guest vendors and food trucks will line the street with authentic style food and merchandise.

This year, partial proceeds of funds raised from Italian Day’s raffle will support Templeton High School’s SummerVision Arts Program for at-risk youth. The mastermind behind the program is Jimmy Crescenzo – a local actor and drama teacher at Templeton High School who is highly involved in keeping at-risk youth off of Vancouver streets. Raffle tickets are currently on sale now at select Vancity locations and will also be sold throughout the day with four generously donated prizes – the grand prize is a trip for two to anywhere in Italy (valued at $3,200), courtesy of long-standing Commercial Drive merchant Columbus World Travel.

For more information, visit italianday.ca. Find us on Twitter: @ItalianDay #ItalianDay #MadeInItaly

Many thanks to our collaborating partners for their invaluable support: The Commercial Drive Business Society and The ItalianCultural Centre, as well as the generous contributions of all our sponsors and volunteers.