Ottawa’s Italian Festival Returns to Preston Street for its 48th Year
After a two-year hiatus, the Preston Street BIA is excited to announce the return of the Ottawa Italian Festival, an in-person event on Father’s Day weekend. Before COVID-19, the Italian Festival had taken place as part of Grand Finale Weekend, the culminating event for Settimana Italiana’s Italian Week celebration, for over 46 years. This year’s festival is a much-anticipated return to in-person programming for the merchants, patrons and residents of Ottawa’s Little Italy.
“It is exciting to be planning the festival after two years,” says Antonella Ceglia, Chair of the BIA Board of Directors. “Our business owners and partner organizations are bringing new energy and ideas to the festival that we can’t wait to share with the community on the weekend of June 17th.”
The Preston Street BIA will once again partner with the Italian Car Club of Ottawa to bring the well-attended Italian Car Parade and Vintage Italian Car Display to Little Italy for the weekend. Starting at 4:00pm on Friday, June 17th, Preston Street will be closed to vehicle traffic and open to pedestrians, patios and performers, with new and classic Italian automobiles parked on the street for public admiration.
“The Parade and Vintage Car Display boast some of the finest examples of Italian automotive design, with beautiful machines ranging from the tiny Fiat to the fierce Lamborghini,” says Delio D’Angelo, President of the Italian Car Club of Ottawa.
The Italian Car Club is joined by the Ferrari Club of America, Ottawa Chapter, who bring the Ferrari Festival to Preston Street for the weekend. FCA Ottawa will have their vehicles on display in Little Italy on Friday and Saturday for all to enjoy. “The Ferrari Festival brings an impressive show of luxury vehicles to the street,” says Giuseppe Castrucci, Chairman of the Ferrari Club of Ottawa. “The celebration turns Preston Street into a 1.3km concourse of rare automobiles and fine dining.”
On the Saturday of the Festival, both car clubs take to the street for the Italian Car Parade, happening at 1:00pm on Preston from Pamilla Street to Somerset Street. Following the parade, FCA Ottawa will take their cars onto a closed course on Carling Avenue, offering attendees an exclusive opportunity to see, hear and feel the power of their machines
The Italian Festival also sees partnerships with two other local organizations: Bike Race Ottawa and Italian Week Ottawa. Bike Race Ottawa famously puts on the Preston Street Criterium each festival on the Sunday of the weekend event. This year, the races will take place on the south-end of the street starting at 8:30am.
Italian Week Ottawa brings the street to life with live music, artists, and amusement rides at 301 Preston Street to wrap up their week-long celebration of Italian art and culture.
Lindsay Childerhose, Director of the Preston Street BIA, is optimistic about event attendance coming out of the pandemic, largely due to the festival's unique programming, animation, and offerings. “Find the best sights, sounds and flavours of Italy—all right here in Ottawa during this weekend-long street party on beautiful Preston Street.”