ITALIAN FESTIVAL THIS WEEKEND

Peterborough’s Italian Festival returns this weekend September 20 – 21and a special guest will be dancing his way into Cathedral Square.

Giovanni Pernice is sure to draw the crowds but the former Strictly star isn’t the only attraction. This vibrant celebration of Italian culture will have everything from pizza to classic cars and gelato to opera!

Cathedral Square will have a fabulous Mediterranean flavour with two days of entertainment over the weekend.

It’s brought to us by the ICA (Italian Community Association) a charitable organisation whose festival is supported by Peterborough City Council.  

Organiser Angelo Passero says it’s set to be an amazing event – “This is a celebration of Italian culture but also a celebration of Peterborough. We welcome everyone along and hope to see plenty of people join us to enjoy a taste of Italy in the heart of the city. We are delighted to have some very special guests joining us and it’s set to be a wonderful weekend.”

The entertainment will consist of singers, dancers, an Italian Tarantella group, opera crossover artiste and of course celebrity guest Giovanni Pernice who will be holding a dance class, Q&A and signing autographs and photos.

Of course there will be great food and drink including pizza, pasta, authentic Italian street food, gelato, dolce, confectionery, coffee, prosecco and Italian spritzers and cocktails.

You can learn from the best with a cooking demonstration from award-winning international Italian Chef Carmelo Carnevale who is also president of the ICC (Italian Culinary Consortium).

Peterborough Positive has also backed this year’s festival and Chief Operating Officer Pep Cipriano says it will bring an upbeat holiday vibe to the city centre this autumn – “Peterborough Positive is delighted to be supporting the return of the Italian Festival. The organisers applied for our small grant scheme, and we were pleased to award a sum of money that has helped secure Giovanni Pernice as the event’s special guest.

“One of our main objectives is to increase footfall in the city centre and lengthen people’s dwell time, so that they take advantage of all the shopping and leisure facilities on offer. The Italian Festival does just that and we’re sure it’ll be a great weekend experience for everyone who visits.”

Italians are as famous for their cars as they are their food so you can drool over classic Italian cars and bikes on display while Vindis Ducati of Cambridge will showcase some of their latest models.  

Children will be kept entertained with the dance group, Dance No End, and there’ll be singing from some of the youngest members of the organisation as well as a face painter, balloon artist and a children’s roundabout.

On the Saturday the festival runs from 9am – 5pm and from 10am – 5pm on Sunday.