The Australian-Italian Festival www.australianitalianfestival.com.au is an annual tribute to the Italian heritage of the sugar-growing Hinchinbrook Shire, and is fast attracting thousands of people to the friendly tropical town of Ingham. The cultural history of the town is unique, and rich with stories from cane cutting days which saw Italian migrants coming to live in the area in the 1890s. One of North Queensland’s most colourful and successful events, this famous affair is symbolic of the cultural tie between members of Ingham and Italy. As my family migrated to North Queensland five generations ago in the 1860s from China, the importance of celebrating acculturation certainly resonates with me.

If the extravaganza of Italian cuisine and extensive range of Italian wines and beverages aren’t enough to persuade you, Mark Vincent, winner of Australia’s Got Talent 2009, will be making a guest appearance alongside an action packed line-up of entertainment for the whole family. And if this still isn’t enough, insights into Italian heritage and nonstop activities (such as a Toga Race and Greasy Pole Climb) in a specially erected Italian Piazza will make you feel as though you’ve made the twenty-one hour trip to Italy, without the jetlag.

The award-winning three day event will take place at The Ingham Showgrounds, Cooper Street, Ingham, from the 14th of May to the 16th of May. For more information Phone: (07) 4776 5288, or Email: italianfestival@hinchinbrook.qld.gov.au

- QH guest blogger Michaela Tam

Tags: australian italian festival, events, italian, italian festival

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 4th, 2010 at 4:36 pm and is filed under Art and about, Food & Wine. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.