The UK’s largest celebration of Italian food, drink and culture returns to Manchester

Festa Italiana, the free-to-enter weekend-long festival celebrating Italian food, drink and culture, is set to return to Cathedral Gardens’ Festival Piazza this August bank holiday.

Brought to you by Manchester favourite, the family-run Salvi’s, Festa Italiana is a homage to the city’s Italian community and heritage, taking an undeniable inspiration from the traditional festivals in Italy but throwing in a healthy portion of Mancunian charm for a weekend of the very best in authentic food, drink, music, performance, and art.

The event is now in its fifth year following an emphatic return in 2021, after a COVID-enforced break, which saw it have its most successful edition to date with a record-setting 38,000+ people passing through.

This year will see some much-loved Festa stalwarts return alongside exciting debutants and some very special surprises. This year, the constantly evolving and varied programme will include workshops, demonstrations, signings and banquets from celebrity chefs and award-winning authors.

In attendance will be Gennaro Contaldo, UK brand ambassador for Parmigiano Reggiano, (Saturday Kitchen, Two Greedy Italians, Jamie and Jimmy’s Friday Night Feast), Giancarlo Caldesi (Return to Tuscany, Saturday Kitchen, Sunday Brunch), celebrity chef and award-winning restaurateur, Aldo Zilli (The One Show, This Morning, Celebrity Masterchef), Great British Bake Off 2021 winner Giuseppe Dell’Anno, and, Festa head honcho, Salvi’s owner Maurizio Cecco.

In addition, Carmela Sereno Hayes, the hugely popular pastaia (AKA: specialist pasta maker) and author, will be making her much-anticipated return to Festa Italiana and running her ever-popular pasta workshops all weekend long.

As always, the Salvi’s team will be joined by some of Manchester’s finest Italian street-food vendors and restaurateurs, as well as live musicians and performers supplying a proper party atmosphere to be enjoyed well into the evening.

A carefully curated selection of the leading Italian drinks brands, including Gin Mare, Luxardo and Poretti, will also be on hand with something to quench all thirsts.

A yet-to-be-revealed photo exhibition will also be showing throughout the festival, with news of that to come soon, and there’ll be plenty of fun spaces and activities for kids.