(Feb 24) – “Italia in Campagna” (Italy in the Countryside) is a two-day celebration of Italian food, wine and lifestyle. An Italian-themed event in South Africa, in the Helderberg basin near Somerset West, about 40 minutes drive from Cape Town. The festival will be held the last weekend of February, with a range of activities for adults and children planned for both days.
Grape picking and stomping, live music featuring jazz and Italian music, 5-a-side calcetto, bocce, climbing the
cuccagna grease pole, tractor and pony rides, farm animals, scarecrow making and water slides are just some
of the activities and entertainment provided on both days. The more serious can visit the many Italian stalls and indulge in the variety of gastronomic temptations and wine workshops that will be on offer.The event, open to the public for the first time with a limited number of tickets, is organised by the Italian consulate in Cape Town, the Italian Cultural Society La Dante, and the association Fogolar Furlan. The event will also provide producers and distributors of goods ‘Made in Italy’ to showcase these items to a receptive target market.
ITALIAN-THEMED FESTIVALS IN SOUTH AFRICA
The festival “Italia in Campagna” has drawn its inspiration from the “Italia in Piazza” festival held at the outdoor piazza at Montecasino, in South Africa, in June 2011. Organised by the Italian Consulate in Johannesburg, the event was themed “Italia 150”, a celebration of 150 years of Italian unification. Many of the same ingredients have been incorporated to make this a true celebration of all things Italian, including elements from the typical medieval village and
mountain festivals that take place in Italy such as long tables out in the vineyards.
