By Marco Testa
Hobart’s Italian community threw open its doors – and its kitchen – last Sunday, as Festa Italia transformed Federal Street in North Hobart into a bustling slice of the old country. The annual celebration, held at the Australian Italian Club, drew families, longtime residents and curious first‑timers for a day of food, music and community pride.
From late morning, the usually quiet street filled with the aromas of wood‑fired pizza, sizzling sausages and freshly brewed espresso. Queues formed early at the food stalls, where volunteers worked shoulder to shoulder to serve pasta, gelato and traditional sweets to an enthusiastic crowd. For many visitors, the festival offered not just lunch, but a taste of family memories and homeland traditions.
The atmosphere was intentionally that of an Italian piazza: open, noisy, convivial. Children ran between tables with gelato in hand, grandparents lingered over coffee and cake, and live music provided a constant soundtrack. Folk songs and popular Italian favourites encouraged clapping and occasional dancing in front of the stage, while conversations mixed English with Italian and regional dialects.
At the centre of it all stood the Australian Italian Club, which has hosted generations of migrants, their families and friends. On festival day, the clubhouse and its surrounds became a meeting point not only for people of Italian heritage, but for Hobart residents from all backgrounds keen to experience “la dolce vita” for an afternoon. The event remained free and family‑friendly, continuing the organisers’ commitment to accessibility and inclusiveness.
Behind the scenes, the Festa is powered largely by volunteers who dedicate months of preparation to make the day run smoothly. Longtime committee member Silvia Catozzi has often described the event as a bridge between the older generation of migrants and younger Italian‑Australians growing up in Tasmania. For her and many others, volunteering at the Festa is both a way to give back and a way to feel at home.
That sense of connection was visible in the mix of stalls and activities. Alongside the food stands, community groups promoted language classes, social clubs and cultural projects aimed at keeping Italian traditions alive. Families paused to ask about Italian lessons for their children, or picked up flyers for upcoming events at the club. In a state where communities are spread out, the Festa has become a focal point for staying in touch.
Entertainment extended beyond the stage. Children’s games, informal competitions and the simple pleasure of sitting together in the sun helped keep people on site for hours. For some, the highlight was bumping into old friends and neighbours they had not seen since the previous edition. Others came specifically to show their children where Nonna and Nonno used to spend their weekends.
The festival also underscores the important role of Italian migration to Tasmania’s social fabric. Many of the volunteers and attendees are descendants of post‑war migrants who arrived in Hobart with little English but strong community ties. Events like Festa Italia offer a public space to share those stories, not in a museum setting but in everyday encounters over a plate of pasta or a glass of wine.
Support from Italian and local institutions has helped the event grow. In recent years the festival has attracted attention beyond Hobart, with cultural bodies viewing it as a key showcase of Italian heritage in the state. That backing has allowed organisers to expand the program and improve facilities, while still retaining the intimate, community feel that regulars value.
As the sun began to set and the last coffees were poured, volunteers were already talking about “next year”. For them, the Festa is not just a single day on the calendar, but part of an ongoing effort to keep a culture vibrant and visible in a changing city. For the broader community, it is a reminder that multiculturalism is lived as much at street level – among food stalls, music and conversation – as in official speeches.
If the crowds and smiles at this year’s Festa Italia are any indication, Hobart’s appetite for Italian culture remains strong. And for one Sunday each February, a corner of North Hobart will continue to feel, sound and taste just a little bit like home for many.
