The Italian Festival is making a new home in Scottsdale, and the move feels like the kind of upgrade that gives a familiar tradition a little more room to breathe. The Italian Association of Arizona is setting up its 11th annual festival at Scottsdale Civic Center, and the two-day format gives the whole thing a bigger, more spread-out feel.
1. New venue, same festival energy
The celebration is relocating to Scottsdale Civic Center at 3939 N. Drinkwater Blvd. That extra space is being used for food vendors, wine tastings, live entertainment, merchandise vendors and other activities, which is exactly the sort of lineup that makes a festival feel like a full afternoon instead of a quick stop.
2. Two days on the calendar
The festival is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8. That gives Valley folks two chances to catch it, whether they want the Saturday crowd or a slightly shorter Sunday visit.
3. Wine is still a big part of the draw
Organizers say the event will feature more than 30 wines from regions across Italy, and they’re bringing back the “La Strada del Vino” theme, or Street of Wine. That sounds like the kind of detail that turns a tasting into a whole mood, which is very much the point here.
4. A new VIP layer
This year also brings the festival’s first VIP section. The VIP experience includes three pasta dishes prepared by chef Francesco Allegro, three wine or cocktail selections available exclusively to VIP guests, general admission and six wine-tasting tickets for La Strada del Vino.
5. Bocce gets its own spotlight
The Italian Association is adding a bocce ball tournament on Saturday with two courts. Teams of four can register for $100, and that includes general admission for each participant. On Sunday, local Italian restaurants will compete in the tournament, which gives the weekend a little extra competitive spark.
6. Food, vendors and entertainment round it out
New food vendors include Sogno Toscano and The Italiano, while returning names include Virtu Honest Craft, Pomo Pizzeria, Mamma Lucy and Marcellino Ristorante, among others. Merchant vendors will include Outrageous Oils, The Biscotti Box, Mamma Letizia, Allora Beauty, Sourced Italy and Bella Capri, and the main stage will feature Ripalta Bufo, ILIANA, Little Rascal and street performers, including a 15-member flag-twirling group from Asti, Italy.
It’s the kind of festival setup that makes sense in Scottsdale: food, wine, music, and enough going on that you can wander, linger and keep finding something new. For a tradition that’s already in its 11th year, this move feels less like a reset and more like a bigger stage.
— Sloan Rivers
