Italian Day on Commercial Drive Sunday June 6th, 2010

Even before becoming an East Vancouver boy, I’ve always been in love with Commercial Drive. Its multiculturalism, diversity of restaurants, and overall cool atmosphere has captivated me ever since I moved to Vancouver. I have sampled the food of numerous restaurants, had drinks at many bars/pubs on “the Drive” and written about it for years now. This area has a very distinctive Italian flavor, as after World War II, a sizable number of Italian immigrants settled in the northern part of Commercial Drive (which is also known as “Little Italy”). I speak Italian, and I often hear Italian spoken at numerous establishments on Commercial. I have a number of spots on the Drive that I absolutely adore, including La Grotta del Formaggio and of course, Cafe Deux Soleils.

Bandidas is a new favorite, and I’ve always eaten Ethiopian food at Cafe Addis and Harambe. And of course, there’s Car Free Festival, The Parade of Lost Souls and the Dyke March. All of these events have enriched my life are part of the calendar of events that happen on Commercial Drive.

And on Sunday June 6th, from 12pm to 8pm, from the Grandview Cut to Venables, on Commercial Drive, we’ll have Italian Day. From their website:

The Commercial Drive Business Society, in partnership with the Italian Cultural Centre is excited to welcome people of all ages to celebrate the long-anticipated return of Italian Day. This beloved festival, is remembered by many as the best ethnic celebration in the City!

Location and Access
Locations include Commercial Drive from Venables Street to the Grandview Cut, as well as the surrounding side streets and parks. In the spirit of Italian culture, get ready to “mangia, mangia, mangia” and play with passion on the Drive! There is free parking in the area and the Commercial Drive SkyTrain station is just one block from Grandview — the southern end of the festival street closure. We will also have additional parking available for the event and free shuttle service.

Festival Attractions
The event will include the very best in Italian food, sports and activities, cultural exhibits, musical performances and a variety of interactive entertainment. From pizza tossing to grape crushing, bocce ball to soccer ball, and art exhibits to auto displays, the Italian Day festival promises to be a fun-filled day for everyone to enjoy. The streets will be lined with activities and entertainment, and stages will engage the audience with performances for the love of all things Italian!

The Italian Day festival will creatively transform Little Italy into Big Italy! The Northern and Southern end of Commercial Drive, and all points in between, will correspond to places in Italy. Event signage and activity will reflect different Italian regions and cities.

I will try to check out Italian Day at least for a little bit. Hope you will too!

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