Italian food festival (& more): Festa Italiana at Cathedral Gardens

Taking place towards the end of June is a very special celebration to kick off Summer in style. Festa Italiana, as linguists will no doubt be able to decipher, is a festival of all things Italian. The first of its kind in Manchester, the event will take over Cathedral Gardens for three full days. Some of the city’s best Italian restaurants and street-food traders will be present, serving up authentic cuisine. Many producers will be on hand with food to take home, including focaccia, home-cured meats, cheeses, and antipasti. With event sponsors including Aperol and Peroni, and dedicated bars for Prosecco and Limoncello, you can be sure that there will be enough beverages to go around. A programme of demonstrations will be hosted by some of the area’s most acclaimed chefs, including Filippo Pagani of San Carlo. If you’re looking for something a little less refined, the restaurant Salvi’s is aiming to sell 50 metres of pizza. Let’s just hope the weather is suitably Mediterranean for the weekend.

Fri 23 Jun – Sun 25 Jun, Cathedral Gardens, Corporation Street, Manchester, M4 3BG. 11am – 11pm, FREE entry, www.facebook.com