The emphasis that Italian-Americans, and Italian immigrants in general, place upon family means that any festival based on a love of All Things Italian is going to be very kid-friendly in just about every aspect.
Everywhere you look there’s food, music and colorful dancing. (We only ask that children don’t go in the Wine and Beer Gardens!) Nevertheless, there are some activities at the Italian Festival that have been specifically designed for the younger set.
Tino’s Cortile is back in full force this year and running on all four cylinders. We are especially excited because one of our signature events, THE KIDS PIZZA TOSS, will again be held three times each day and in a new location, UPSTAIRS IN THE ARMORY. Just look up as you enter the 3rd Floor and you’ll see the kids at the top of the stairs. That is also where the children’s “HANDS-ON” ART ACTIVITIES will also be held. Face Painting will be there as well but at the bottom of the stairs.
There will be a live exhibit of Italian Dog breeds for one day only, in front of the Fisher Pavilion. Your kids will not want to miss this!
Face Painting will be offered in the Armory by Giggles Entertainment, for a modest charge.
A family favorite, the famous Festa Pizza Toss is back and happens throughout Festa Weekend.
In memory of our good friend and avid supporter, Tino Lazzaretti, the Kids Courtyard at the Italian Festival has been renamed “Tino’s Cortile.” In this small way, Festa seeks to honor his legacy of promoting education for children, especially children of immigrants, as a means to fulfillment of “the American Dream.” Sponsored in perpetuity by the Costantino Lazzaretti Endowment.
For the past several years, Domenico Minotti has prepared a quiz for Festa Italiana, an annual celebration of Italian culture, food and music held each year at the Seattle Center at the end of September. Since this year’s Festa Italiana will be virtual, Domenico has prepared a virtual quiz to go along with that. The quiz was premiered September 9th 2020 at the Dante Alighieri Society’s English Language meeting held virtually on Zoom. Links to PDFs of the quiz and the answer key along with the presentation are available below.
In the late 1920s, Nick’s parents emigrated from Sant’Angelo, Limosano, a small hilltop town in Molise. The population at that time was about 1000 but is now 345 as Nick learned on a visit last year. The family spoke their dialect at home. Nick studied Italian at Columbia University and Perugia and got lots of practice while on Fulbright study grants in Milan in the mid 60’s. Nick returned to the states and to his first love, medicine, at Georgetown University and came to Seattle in 1976 to work at the US Public Health Hospital on Beacon Hill, better known as the Marine Hospital. He and his father Pasquale would attend Dante meetings back then but took a break until retirement a few years ago. Nick serves as a Consigliere for our Dante group.
A special memorial collection of works has been added to “Le Arti della Festa Italiana” Art Exhibit at the Italian Festival this year in honor of Roberto Mario Tacchi whose elegant woodcarvings adorn Seattle public spaces and personal collections and who passed away May 15, 2019 at the age of 80. Born in Florence Italy, Roberto learned his craft from his father, becoming the seventh generation of woodcarvers in the Tacchi family.
As opposed to his large public works, this collection will be of “chamber pieces” that he carved primarily for family, friends and private collectors. They will be on display in the Armory on Saturday and Sunday, September 28 & 29, 2019 from 10 AM – 5 PM each day. Admission is free. Patrons of the “Taste of Italy” Wine Tasting on Friday night, September 27th will also be able to view the collection.
His public works present in the Seattle area include the exterior doors of the First Presbyterian Church in downtown Seattle, the chapel at Providence Marianwood in Issaquah and a memorial display in the Bell Harbor Conference Center. Surely even more treasured are the frames, sea shells and other carvings found in the homes of the many people who sought out his work for its elegance and sensuous beauty. When the Henry Art Gallery at the University of Washington obtained the loan of Leonardo da Vinci’s Salvator Mundi painting in 1982, they commissioned Roberto to carve a Late Gothic altar and triptych in order to properly display this revered work.
