Bentornato Italian Days!
After a two-year hiatus, the cultural festival that brings a piece of Italy to Vancouver shores returns for a village-style event in Grandview Park on Sunday, August 28.
The festivities will be smaller than in previous years, Commercial Drive will not be closed to traffic but the side streets around Grandview Park will be set up to feel like a little Italy.
The festivities will celebrate the local Italian community and its culture and heritage through food stands and trucks; merchants and other vendors; live music and fashion; Il Giardino – food, wine and beer court; contests and activities; children’s area with crafts, and more.
The organizers have also announced that a full-scale Italian Day event will return to The Drive in 2023.
The annual festival traditionally occurs on the second Sunday in June during Italian Heritage month and includes over 120 street participants closing down 14 blocks. It serves to honour the history of Italian immigration in Canada, especially during the 40s and 50s, and the contributions of Italo-Canadians to the cultural landscape of Vancouver.
Mini Italian Day
When: Sunday, August 28, noon to 9 p.m.
Where: Grandview Park in Little Italy on 1600 block Commercial Dr (and Charles Street)
Cost: Free to attend
