This year, the 26th edition of Montreal’s Italian Week will take place from August 9th to 18th. This major cultural event has been unfolding throughout the city for more than a quarter of a century. Festival-goers are invited to discover and celebrate Italy’s contribution to Canadian culture through its music, art and gastronomy. This year, the program of events includes concerts, a musical play, opera, a film festival, exhibitions, cooking classes and historical tours.
“With the celebrations surrounding Montreal’s Italian Week’s 26th edition, we wish that festival-goers continue to discover Italian culture, but also that they participate in it. We hope that this year’s edition will be unforgettable,” said Josie Verrillo, Director General of the National Congress of Italian Canadians.
Marco Callari, a well-known singer among the Italian-Canadian community, teams up with Montreal’s Italian Week once more as spokesperson of the event. Celebrating his 30-year career with a new album titled “Bang! Bang!” Calliari will be on stage with Peppe Voltarelli on Friday, August 16, in Montreal’s Little Italy.
This year, the region of Calabria will be highlighted through the Italian Week’s events. During the weekend in Little Italy, from August 16 to 18, Saint- Laurent Boulevard will be buzzing with festivities: artists, dessert contest, an exhibition by Fiat and a fashion show titled “Moda sotto le stelle,” (Fashion Under the Stars). There will also be shows, including singer Daniela Fiorentino. Ruggero Leoncavallo’s immortal opera “Pagliacci,” with the symphony orchestra led by Maestro Gianluca Martinenghi, will be presented on Sunday, August 18.
The events are free, accessible to all and will occupy several boroughs of Montreal, as well as Laval. The locations include: August 9 to 15 – Film festival at Leonardo da Vinci Centre; Casa d’Italia and Concordia University from August 9 – 15; Rivière-des-Prairies (Paroisse Maria-Auxiliatrice) on August 10, 11 and 12; Notre-Dame-de-Grâce (Georges-Saint-Pierre Park) and Montreal-North (Saint-Laurent Park and Aimé-Léonard Park) on August 10; Laval (de Lausanne Park) on August 11; LaSalle (Ouellette Park) on August 13; Saint-Léonard (Wilfrid-Bastien Park) on August 15 and Little Italy (Saint-Laurent Boulevard, from Jean-Talon to Beaubien) on August 16, 17 and 18.
Visit italfestmtl.ca for the full program of events.
