Staff Reports | Happenings & Events
The Galbani Italian Heritage Festival — organized by the well-being nonprofit Bliss Planet — is held at Heritage Square Downtown Phoenix from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, March 1 and fro 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sunday, March 2 and will celebrate Italian culture through food, merchandise, exotic motor vehicles, cooking demonstrations and live entertainment.
“This event is so much more than your typical festival,” said Galbani Italian Heritage Festival organizer Francesco Guzzo, in a prepared statement. “We want to transform Downtown Phoenix into a bustling Italian piazza, where guests can fully immerse themselves into a true Italian experience.”
The family-friendly festival will feature more than a dozen food vendors for guests to indulge in — serving classic Italian dishes from popular restaurants like Corso Italia, Mamma Lucy, Costantino’s Italian Kitchen and Fabio on Fire Pizzeria, according to a press release.
The event will feature an Italian marketplace with rows of imported products including Italian olive oils, olives, jams, bread and pasta. Guests can also enjoy shopping at designated merchandise tents with items including leather bags, Italian clothing, jewelry and more.
There will be two stages with live entertainment and cultural performances throughout the 2-day event. One stage will highlight live entertainment from musicians and bands, and the second, La Cucina Galbani Cooking Stage, will be a food demonstration stage where top chefs around the Valley will display how they make their fan-favorite Italian dishes.
Street dancers will also perform, including dances from the Sicilian-style folk group Tradizione Vivente.
The festival will present a unique car and go-fast motorcycle showcase, displaying classic motor vehicles from Ferrari, Lamborghini, Vespa and Ducati. A 1913 Bugatti, the oldest-running Bugatti vehicle in the world, will also be featured.
