Brought to the microphones of Rete Italia by Carmelina Calabrò, Co.As.It.’s Cultural and Educational Programme Manager, the Italian Family Picnic last Sunday, February 25 was a great success.

Those present took shelter from the scorching summer sun in the shade of a large tree at the Edinburgh Gardens in Fitzroy North.

“It’s the first time we’ve organised an event of this kind, and we immediately noticed great interest from the Italian community,” commented Paolo Baracchi, Program Manager of Co.As.It.

“Thanks to the help of Carmelina Calabrò, Co.As.It. has put together a new social calendar full of interesting events, some of which are real experiments that will allow us to understand what the needs of our community are, what their expectations are, and how they prefer to be involved in initiatives that have, as their primary goal, the promotion of Italian culture,” he continued.

Co.As.It. brought with them their famous ‘word of the month’ activities that appear in Il Globo and on its official channels. It provided guests the perfect opportunity to brush up on or learn a bit of Italian.

The enthusiasm of the many children did not go unnoticed, nor did the contentment of the adults, gratified by being able to share their beautiful language and see their children enjoying themselves, playing and socialising.

“I can be very satisfied with today’s event,” added Baracchi.  

“This picnic lived up to our expectations, managing to involve people of all ages - from children to teenagers, from adults to grandparents.

“In fact, when we arrived at Edinburgh Gardens, we could count more than a hundred people organised in groups of different sizes … scattered around the Co.As.It. banquet.

There were myriad activities that entertained the kids for the entire picnic. Group dances, recreational games, art workshops to foster their creativity, facepainting and an exciting magic show by The Great Armando.

The Great Armando is a character well known to the community but who never ceases to amaze. He’s a magician who, with his tricks, is able to attract the attention of everyone, even adults who no longer believe in magic.

And what would a picnic under the shade of a beautiful tree be without good food?  As with most events that aim to spread Italian culture and traditions, the cuisine was another star of the event.

Families packed their lunches and covered the tablecloths with delicacies of all kinds, from appetisers and various snacks to sandwiches stuffed with cold meats and cheeses, from the famous ‘rice salad’ to baked pasta, fresh fruit and sweets.

The event officially ended at 2 p.m., but many decided to continue enjoying the beautiful sunny day and the company of other families they met.

“We had a nice morning, now we wait to see how the Italian community will respond to the upcoming events,” concluded Baracchi before saying goodbye.