On June 2, cities all over the world are draped with tricolour flags as people line up to taste delicious food, savour excellent wines, admire classic Italian cars and dance to the rhythm of the Bel Paese.
More than anything, though, these events are a way to spend time with friends and family, as well as open the door to the wider community who always enjoy a taste of Italian culture.
These were the beautiful intentions that prompted Braeside’s Freccia Azzurra Club to organise a Festa della Repubblica to remember.
Sebastiano and Pat from the Calabrian Accordion Group
“At first, we thought we’d go for a small event with a few hundred people, like the events we’ve had at the club before,” said Mark Tarulli, president of the Freccia Azzurra Club.
The event, however, was anything but small.
“We counted more than four thousand participants,” Tarulli revealed.
“We’ve never seen so many people at our events.”
There were lines of people at stalls and food booths, all of whom were served in good time.
“[We had] pasta, pizza, cannoli, ice cream, traditional delicacies from various regions and much more,” Tarulli, a food lover who works as a restaurant consultant, recalled.
“Not only did we provide a platform to the many families who run these small businesses, we also formed important connections during the organisation of the event that will lead to future partnerships. It’s a great result for the entire Italian community.”
Thanks to the partnership with the TCB Trans, the day of entertainment could thrive.
“One of the containers was used as a stage for the artists and bands that came to the festival,” recounted Tarulli.
Guests were treated to fantastic performances by the Calabrian Accordion Group, Angela Librandi, Tony Diaco, husband and wife Veronica and Rob Amato, Jerson Trinidad, Pauly J with his band and Mark Pellegrini.
DJ Mark Pellegrini
All performers helped create an unforgettable day of dancing, singing and joy – for young and old. Tarulli was especially thrilled by the fact that songs in Italian are becoming more common again.
“For example, Angela Librandi has returned to singing in her mother tongue, and that’s a very good sign.”
The children’s area set up by the festival with slides, entertainment and jumping castles, was another huge hit.
As mentioned, the event couldn’t have been as successful as it was without the participation of those without Italian heritage.
“The key to success lies not in making an event only for Italians, but for everyone,” Tarulli explained. The younger generations of the Italo-Australian community are also to be a priority, he added.
“We love the older members of our community, and they are very important. At the same time, we also want offer something for the younger ones, enticing them to discover their cultural roots.”
“My family is from Abruzzo, my mum from Palena, in the province of Chieti, and my dad from Canzano, in the province of Teramo,” the club president shared regarding his own heritage.
“They came to Australia many years ago. Like many Italian families at that time, our parents pushed us to speak mainly English to be accepted by Australian society more easily.”
This won’t be the last event hosted by the Freccia Azzurra Club with the aim of helping young Italo-Australians discover their heritage. Who knows, it might not even be the largest. As impressive as the attendance was this year, records are made to be broken.
