- Little Italy Festival to take place today at WA Italian Club and Dorrien Gardens
- Follows smash-hit Italian football blockbuster at Optus Stadium, which saw more than 56,000 attend
- Event has attracted thousands of people from outside Western Australia, generating millions for the local economy
- Supported by the Cook Government
Perth is continuing its Italian festa today with the Little Italy Festival kicking off at 2pm at the WA Italian Club and Dorrien Gardens.
The free festival follows last night’s colossal match at Optus Stadium that saw AS Roma defeat AC Milan in front of a crowd of 56,522 passionate football fans.
The festival program, which runs until 10pm tonight, will celebrate Italy’s rich culture, featuring Italian food trucks, music and entertainment for the whole family.
Foodies attending the event can indulge in a huge range of tasty treats including mouth-watering pizzas fresh from the WA Italian Club’s 1934 Pizzeria, fresh pasta, burrata, porchetta, arrosticini and tasty arancini and zeppole.
For those with a sweet tooth, authentic Italian gelato and irresistible cannoli await, while pop-up bars will be serving Italian beverages, including Aperol Spritz, Birra Moretti and Limoncello Spritz.
Other activities for attendees to enjoy include Perth Glory’s inflatable soccer skill games, facepainting, balloon artists and performances by Italian bands, opera performers and singers during the day, before the event turns into a car park dance party at night fuelled by Eurodance classics from local Italian DJ Adrian Franchina.
The event will also include the unveiling of a mural by local artist Jordan Paolillo that has been painted on the walls of the WA Italian Club to leave a lasting legacy of the mammoth weekend of culture immersion.
The mural will pay particular tribute to cult Italian players Agostino Di Bartolomei and Franco Baresi.
For football fans eager for more, Round 10 of the Men’s National Premier League WA will be taking place between Perth Soccer Club and Perth RedStar this afternoon at Perth Soccer Club.
Kick-off is at 2pm for the Under 18s, 4pm for the Under 20s and 6pm for the first team.
Learn more about the festival at westernaustralia.com/littleitalyfestival.
As stated by Tourism Minister Rita Saffioti:
“Last night’s atmosphere at Optus Stadium was incredible, as more than 56,000 football fans packed into the stands to watch two giants of Italian football go head-to-head for the first time on Australian soil.
“That colossal match was only the beginning of a huge weekend of Italian culture in Perth, as we continue the festa with today’s free Little Italy Festival at the WA Italian Club and Dorrien Gardens.
“With the events leading up to last night’s match and today’s festival, we’ve really made it a worthwhile experience for travelling fans, meaning they’re more likely to extend their stay, enjoy what’s on offer and pump more valuable tourism dollars into our economy. To us, that’s what being a world-leading events destination is all about.
“We’re very grateful for the support and collaboration with the WA Italian Club, City of Vincent, Perth Soccer Club and of course AS Roma and AC Milan in creating this incredible week of activities.”
