Festa Italiana 2023: Festival of Italian food and culture returning to Manchester this summer

The UK’s largest free festival of Italian food and culture, hosted annually here in Manchester, is returning for summer 2023 – complete with authentic Italian cuisine, entertainment and demonstrations from celebrity TV chefs.

Festa Italiana is organised by Maurizio Cecco, the owner of one of Manchester’s favourite Italian restaurants Salvi’s and is now in its sixth year.

It takes place at Cathedral Gardens in the city centre over August bank holiday weekend, which this year falls on August 25-27.

What to expect?

The star attraction at Festa Italiana has got to be the food. A whole range of Italian street food vendors and restaurants from across Greater Manchester will be there. If you’ve been to the festival before, then you will be glad to know that the favourite vendors will be returning, and the festival organisers say that there will be some exciting new editions to the line-up that are yet to be revealed.

Festa Italiana also boasts an impressive programme of workshops, demonstrations, signings and banquets from celebrity chefs and award-winning authors. This year’s guests includeGennaro Contaldo, who you may recognise from Saturday Kitchen, Two Greedy Italians, Jamie and Jimmy’s Friday Night Feast and is also a UK brand ambassador for Parmigiano Reggiano, Giancarlo Caldesi, as seen on Return to Tuscany, Saturday Kitchen and Sunday Brunch.

Great British Bake Off 2021 winner Giuseppe Dell’Anno will also be there, as well as Masterchef UK 2021 quarter finalist and ICG Cooking Competition Award winner Sofia Gallo. Salvi’s owner and festival founder Maurizio Cecco will also be making an appearance, and there will be pasta masterclasses throughout the weekend by Carmela Sereno Hayes.

On the entertainment front, guests can expect lively program of musicians and performers. The festival is also a family-friendly, so there will also be special entertainment for the little ones too.

What’s new for 2023 and how to attend?

For the first time, Birrificio Angelo Poretti is hosting a ticketed dining experience, which includes a sit-down meal with food from Salvi’s, curated to pair with Poretti beer.

More information on ticket prices and how to attend will be released at a later date, but it will be take place on Saturday 26 August. The Birrificio Angelo Poretti area will then open for all again on the Sunday.

More information can be found on the festival website or their social media pages.