2023 Program Booklet

Italian Week Ottawa Board of Directors

Lydia Di Francesco, Chair

Noor Sunba, Vice-Chair

Rachel MacDonald, Treasurer

Jody Saurette, Secretary

Brunella Buscicchio, Director

Francesco De Rossi, Director

Flavia Iannetta, Director

Tony Mariani, Director

Nina Plummer, Director

Stefani Truant, Director

Jessie Zapata-Crookall, Director

Staff

Shannon Whidden, Executive Director

Olivia Hall

Laura Kelly

Marketing Associate Social Media Community Manager

Rachana Chaudhari Lyse Ducharme Special Events Coordinator Events Coordinator

Ottawa Italian Festival 2023

Dear fellow Italians, dear Canadian friends, I am delighted to announce the celebration of the 2023 edition of the Ottawa Italian Festival!

As we emerge from a challenging period of limited gatherings and public celebrations, the success of the last edition proved that our community is still strong, vibrant, and filled with creativity.

During these times of great change, it is important that we keep our focus on the future while also staying true to our roots. Italian Week provides an opportunity for us to come together with our friends in Canada to celebrate our shared culture, showcasing our passion, love, and inclusive vision of the world.

I extend my sincere gratitude to the many people who have worked tirelessly to make this event possible. Your dedication and enthusiasm make Italy proud!

Italy and Canada share a deep friendship and alliance at the highest levels, and the Italian community plays a critical role in strengthening this bond.

To all those who will join us in celebrating, I wish a wonderful and unforgettable Italian Week filled with fun and excitement.

Andrea Ferrari L’Ambasciatore d’Italia

Cari amici:

Dopo più di un anno di pianificazione, sono entusiasta di darvi il benvenuto all’Ottawa Italian Festival 2023! You may have noticed there have been some big changes – Italian Week Ottawa has a new logo, the festival has a new name, and it’s bigger than ever before! We are offering 11 days of programming, including two full weekends!

This year, our festival begins with our Opening Weekend, a showcase of some of the best live performance talent from across Ontario, Canada, and around the world. We’re bringing back the Jivewires and Marco Calliari, and we’re introducing Bandabardò, one of Italy’s hottest bands. Comedy at the festival is a mix of the familiar, with Joe Cacchione, and new faces, with Frank Spadone. We’re continuing to bring outstanding opera performances – this year we worked with the Canadian Opera Company’s Ensemble Studio to bring you four incredible musicians. Our Kids Zone returns with rides, games, story-telling and more, thanks to our partnership with the Dante Alighieri Society.

But the programming doesn’t stop with the end of the weekend. We’re introducing a new lunch-hour series with three events in the downtown core. Our popular Meet Me In Little Italy Masterclass series returns, introducing participants to cheese, olive oil, and, of course, wine! And three new events are sure to appeal to a wide audience – our Picnic all’Italiana, our Italian Discoteca, and our Mercato di Preston Street.

We would like to express our sincere thanks to the many partners who have helped make this Festival possible – Preston Street BIA, the City of Ottawa, Province of Ontario, and the Government of Canada. We’re especially grateful to the many businesses in Little Italy and across Ottawa that have supported the Festival and helped it to take place.

Throughout the eleven-day festival, you’ll find any number of incredible moments. Whether it’s listening to amazing music, or watching an artist capture the festival live in a painting, or cheering on one of the soccer teams, these are moments that you’ll cherish and carry with you. Venite a vedere il meglio che l’Italia ha da offrire – come see the best that Italy has

Executive Director

Ottawa Italian Festival 2023

Partners and Sponsors

Italian Week Ottawa is supported by these funders, and many other sponsors and donors.

Additional Sponsors

Government Partners

Media Partners

Accommodations Partner

Flag Raising Ceremony

June 8 | 08:30 | City Hall, Marion Dewar Plaza

Join us on Thursday, June 8 at 08:30 am for our formal kickoff of Ottawa Italian Festival 2023. June is Italian Heritage Month in Canada, and we’ll be celebrating with a flag raising ceremony at City Hall. Mayor Mark Sutcliffe will make a proclamation, and we’ll raise the Italian Week Ottawa Flag!

Ottawa Italian Festival 2023

THURSDAY, JUNE 8, 2023

June 9 | 18:00 – 21:00 | Preston Street & Adeline

June 10 | 12:00 – 21:00 | Preston Street & Adeline

June 11 | 12:00 – 21:00 | Preston Street & Adeline

You won’t want to miss the rides and activities at our Kids Zone! Make your way to Preston and Adeline Streets to check out the games, story-telling featuring the Dante Alighieri Society of Ottawa, and other incredible activities! Whether it’s face-painting, storytelling or basketball toss, our younger festival-goers (and some of the older ones!) will have the time of their lives!

The Jivewires

June 9 | 16:00 | Main Stage – 301 Preston Street

The Jivewires, one of Ottawa’s premiere “Jump Blues” bands, are back at Ottawa Italian Festival! They bring a high-energy sound to our stage that’ll have you dancing in the aisles. Don’t miss this rockin’ performance featuring music from Louis Prima and others!

The Jivewires is a “jump blues” band inspired by the early R&B groups from the post war/pre-electric guitar period that created a popular musical style that incorporated social satire and jazz improvisation. Billed as “the missing link between swing and rock ‘n roll”, this sevenpiece horn section-driven outfit delivers high energy stage shows. Formed in 1989, the band has recorded five albums of original music written and arranged by leader Steve Berndt, and bassist Kurt Walther. The Jivewires boast an impressive alumni of some of the finest musicians from the Ottawa area as the band’s membership changed over the years.

Fonte d’Amore

June 9 | 17:30 | Main Stage – 301 Preston Street

June 10 | 17:00 | Preston Street & Main Stage

June 11 | 16:30 | Main Stage – 301 Preston Street

Italian Week Ottawa is proud to have created Fonte d’Amore, an Italian cultural dance ensemble, to celebrate Italian heritage. Check out these talented young dancers as they present the Tarantella, a traditional form of dance from southern Italy.

Carina Della Valle is the Artistic Director of Fonte d’Amore, Italian Week Ottawa’s Tarantella ensemble. She began her Italian dance training early on and it’s those memories that she leads with to build and teach the performances you see today. Passionate about passing down her cultural background to younger generations, Carina’s nearly decade of experience with Russello Limpido (flowing river) now feeds into the Fonte d’Amore (fountain of love) tarantella dance team named after the village her nonna was born in Italy.

Vanessa was a competitive dancer and has over a decade of professional dance experience. She has created dance routines, had the opportunity to perform at different events alongside competing in many dance competitions which has earned her several awards. Proud of her Italian heritage, Vanessa is now spending her time as the dance instructor for Fonte d’Amore Tarantella.

Ottawa Italian Festival 2023

Joe Cacchione

June 9 | 19:00 | Main Stage – 301 Preston Street

June 10 | 12:00 | Main Stage – 301 Preston Street

If you’re looking for a laugh, you won’t want to miss Joe Cacchione’s comedy stylings. Joe is a comedian who knows how to get people laughing. With his irreverent but never vulgar brand of humor, he will connect with audience members of all ages and walks of life.

Claudio Santaluce

June 9 | 20:00 | Main Stage – 301 Preston Street

Claudio Santaluce wows audiences with his take on traditional Italian accordion music everywhere he plays! He is renowned for his unique style of combining traditional elements with a modern twist. Not only has he performed in festivals, concerts and other social gatherings in Canada, the United States, Cuba, South America, Asia and Italy, but he has also done numerous radio shows and television appearances.

JFUN

June 9 | 20:45 | Main Stage – 301 Preston Street

When it comes to creating a vibe, JFUN’s style touches down on many different genres while combining funky rhythms that create a moving celebration of sonic exploration. Everything from Soul, Jazz, Disco, House, Minimal, Tech, Afro, Melodic House & Techno, Deep House, Garage, Breakbeats and Rave Gems are fair game.

Ottawa Italian Festival 2023

Marco Calliari

June 9 | 22:00 | Main Stage – 301 Preston Street

Festival favourite Marco Calliari returns with his unique blend of rock and Italian-style world music. Born and raised in Montreal in an Italian family, Marco blends the sounds of modern rock and roll with the more traditional sounds of Italian cultural music flawlessly with his band. You don’t want to miss this amazing performance!

Founding member of heavy metal group Anonymus, singer and guitarist Marco Calliari recorded a total of five studio albums with the Montrealbased band between 1989 and 2006. In 2003, his family roots were brought to the forefront with his solo album Che la vita. The singersongwriter takes his inspiration from Italian folklore, rediscovered during a stay in the country of his ancestors. From 2007 to 2009, Marco Calliari teamed up with Yves Lambert and presented Du reel à la tarentelle, a show presented during the holiday season. In 2010, the album Al faro est was released, followed by Mi ricordo three years later and One Night in 2016. In 2019, Marco Calliari celebrated his 30-year career in music with the release of a new album, in which Italian-style world music and heavy metal blend discreetly, but skillfully.

Rossano Giamberardino

June 10 | 14:00 | Main Stage – 301 Preston Street

Join us at the main stage for traditional Italian folk music. Rossano Giamberardino brings the unmistakable sound of traditional Italian accordion to Preston Street!

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Andrea Ramolo with Riccardo Laganà

June 10 | 19:00 | Main Stage – 301 Preston Street

Come to the main stage to check out Italian-Canadian artist Andrea Ramolo, with guest Riccardo Laganà, founder of Kalàscima, one of Italy’s hottest bands. Andrea brings music with an eclectic and diverse range of styles and influences. Her music is soulful, low-fi, heartfelt, and honest. She takes her listeners on a journey both sonically and emotionally into deep, dark, and real places all accompanied by her electric baritone guitar. She is a captivating performer and uses her powerful voice in both English and Italian.

You don’t want to miss this unique artist who brings a taste of Italy to our stage!

Andrea Ramolo is a multiple Canadian Folk Music Award nominee and has been touring nationally and internationally for over 15 years. She just released her 7th studio record Quarantine Dream and won last year’s Canadian Independent Music Video Award in the folk category as both musician and co-director. Born to Italian parents, Andrea is getting ready to launch a project completely in Italian in collaboration with Salentino band Kalàscima this June entitled The South. The project explores traditional music of southern Italy but offers the ancestral songs in a fresh and contemporary way.

Ottawa Italian Festival 2023

DJ Jas Nasty

June 10 | 21:00 | Main Stage – 301 Preston Street

The stage continues to heat up Saturday night with DJ Jas Nasty. This popular Ottawa DJ brings the audience together with her unique style of music from the 70’s to today’s electronic music.

Jas Nasty has been involved in radio and various DJ events in Peterborough, Ottawa and Montreal since 2001. Now in Ottawa, she continues to DJ events and fill the airwaves with her love of collecting and sharing good music, old and new on her radio shows Heavy Friends on CKCU 93.1 FM and on mixlr.com/hellagroove. She regularly live streams DJ sets on Twitch (twitch.tv/jasnasty1) and you can also find her DJ mixes can find her DJ mixes at Mixcloud (mixcloud.com/jasnasty).

St. Anthony’s Church Mass & Procession

June 11 | 10:30 | St. Anthony’s Church – 427 Booth Street

The celebration of St. Anthony is the root of Ottawa Italian Festival. Come to St. Anthony’s Church to attend an open-air mass, followed by the traditional procession throughout Little Italy.

Espresso Show Band

June 11 | 14:30 | Main Stage – 301 Preston Street

Prepare to be blown away by The Espresso Show Band, a dynamic group of Italian-Canadian musicians who ignite the stage with their electrifying performances of classic rock hits. This passionate and talented group of musicians will transport you back to the golden age of classic rock with their high-energy performances and irresistible Italian flair.

ALAMUSIC

June 11 | 18:00 | Main Stage – 301 Preston Street

Stick around at our main stage to hear the stylings of ALAMUSIC. Blending house and disco grooves, she brings a unique flavour to the stage. ALAMUSIC is sure to get you fired up and dancing during her set!

ALAMUSIC is a Canadian DJ based in Ottawa. Known for her funky fusion of various styles of house and disco grooves, ALAMUSIC has been lighting up dance floors at events and nightclubs around the city. She is a monthly resident DJ at Afterlight – Ottawa’s underground lounge and listening bar – where each month she invites guest DJs to join her behind the decks for an evening of great music and vibes.

Bandabardò

June 11 | 19:30 | Main Stage – Preston Street

Bandabardò is an Italian folk band from Florence. Since 1993, they’ve had numerous hits and have toured around the world, and are described as Italy’s most wild, raucous, and colourful band! Be sure to join us at the main stage at 10:00 for this unique experience, brought directly from Italy to you!

Lunchtime Series Mal’occhio 101

June 12 | 12:00

LUNCHTIME

Ottawa Public Library Main Branch – 120 Metcalfe Street

Get ready to delve into the fascinating world of Mal’occhio with Italian-Canadian author Agata De Santis! Discover the intriguing traditions and beliefs surrounding this mysterious phenomenon known as the Evil Eye. Get ready to be spellbound by Agata De Santis’ captivating storytelling as she unravels the secrets of this ancient tradition. And the best part? It’s absolutely free! Don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity to learn, explore, and expand your horizons. See you there!

Register for this free event at www.italianweekottawa.ca

Meet Me in Little Italy

Masterclass - Formaggi d’Italia

June 12 | 19:00 | Sala San Marco – 215 Preston Street

Formaggi d’Italia will be led by Toronto-based master cheesemaker, Matt Casola who will guide you through the wonderful world of Italian cheeses. You’ll learn about the different types of cheese, their origins, and how to pair them with other foods and wines. From Asiago to Taleggio, you’ll taste and savour the best of Italian cheese.

Get your tickets at www.italianweekottawa.ca

Children’s Event - Italian Stamp Art

June 13 | 18:00 | Location McNabb Recreation Centre –180 Percy St.

Do your kids enjoy arts and crafts? Then you won’t want to miss our Italian Stamp Art event for kids ages 5-12! The kids will learn how to prepare traditional stamps made from veggies, and how to make fun and creative designs.

All veggies and supplies are provided so bring the kids, their creativity, and wear some art play clothing because things might get messy! Register for this free event at at www.italianweekottawa.ca

Lunchtime SeriesArt Exhibition

June 14 | 12:00

Orange Gallery – 290 City Centre Ave.

Ottawa is home to some of the most talented artists, and many of them participated in our Visual Arts Contest this year where the theme was Italian landscapes. The submissions were so amazing we just had to share them! Orange Gallery will be displaying the submissions in an exhibition from June 9 – 14, and you can stop in at lunch on June 14 to meet the artists and see their beautiful works!

Register for this free event at at www.italianweekottawa.ca

Italian Week Ottawa is grateful to our partner Orange Gallery for supporting this event.

Meet Me in Little Italy

Masterclass - Olive Oil & Balsamic: The Heart of Italian Cuisine

June 14 | 19:00 | Sala San Marco – 215 Preston Street

Olive Oil & Balsamic are at the Heart of Italian Cuisine. In this unique masterclass you’ll discover the essential ingredients that make Italian cuisine so special. Olive oil expert and owner of The Unrefined Olive Elizabeth Kilvert will take you through a tasting of the best olive oils and balsamic vinegars and teach you how to use them in your cooking. You’ll also learn about the history and culture behind these beloved Italian ingredients.

Elizabeth Kilvert is a former Marine Biologist who is now an Oleologist (think sommelier for olive oil). She has spent much of her life as an educator. She comes from a background immersed in natural history museums, aquariums, overseas development projects, and entrepreneurship.

The Unrefined Olive started in Ottawa in 2012. It has since grown into two locations in the Glebe and Kanata. She has created a wonderful clientele of home cooks, people who love to eat, individuals seeking nutritional products, restaurant owners, and anyone who ventures into the two stores. She loves going to International Olive Oil Competitions to meet producers and taste their wares.

Elizabeth believes in taking a local approach, partnering with businesses, and giving back to her community wherever she can. She loves sharing her deep love for food and talking about all things edible.

Get your tickets at www.italianweekottawa.ca

Meet Me in Little Italy

Masterclass - Wines of Piedmont

June 15 | 19:00 | Sala San Marco – 215 Preston Street

The Piedmont (Piemonte) region of Italy is home to some of the most famous wines in the world – more than 59 distinct regions, from Barolo to Gabiano to Barbera d’Asti. Join acclaimed sommelier Véronique Rivest as she takes a close look at some of the finest wines from this Italian region. You’ll learn about – and most importantly taste – a carefully selected series of offerings from some of the best wineries. Nestled between the Mediterranean Sea and the southern Alps, Piemonte has some of the best growing conditions for wine grapes in the world, so you won’t want to miss out on this unique experience!

Sommelier Véronique Rivest got her start in the hospitality industry at 16 when she began working in a restaurant in the ByWard Market. In 2006, she won Canada’s Best Sommelier competition and repeated her win in 2012. She won the Wine Woman Award in Paris in 2007, and Best Sommelier of the Americas in 2012. At the World’s Best Sommelier competition, she placed second in 2013. She was the first woman to appear on the podium in the history of the competition. In 2014, she opened SOIF Bar à Vin in Gatineau. Just one year later, it was named one of the 10 Best New Restaurants in Canada by enRoute Magazine.

Get your tickets at www.italianweekottawa.ca

Lunchtime SeriesItalian Chamber Music Featuring The Ironwood Quartet

June 16 | 12:00

Ottawa Public Library Main Branch - 120 Metcalfe Street

Get ready for a breathtaking musical experience as the Ironwood Quartet takes the stage for a stunning concert of Italian Chamber Music! Led by National Arts Centre Orchestra Associate Concertmaster, Jessica Linnebach, the quartet will take you on a journey through repertoire of some of the most famed Italian composers. This is the perfect way to wrap up our lunchtime series, and we promise it will be an event you won’t forget! Don’t miss this free performance! The Ironwood Quartet is made up of four dynamic and passionate Canadian musicians whose home base is Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra. Originally from Edmonton, Saskatoon, and Toronto, and with musical interests ranging from Beethoven and Ravel to Philip Glass, Ukrainian folk music to indie-rock, Queen, and Radiohead, their programming reflects a belief in the power of great music to unite.

Spring/Summer 2023 sees Ironwood perform quartets of Waley-Cohen and Salonen at the NAC’s WolfGANG Session, a special program of Canadian quartets with Tai Chi Chuan movement at Toronto Summer Music Festival, and a much-anticipated return to Ottawa Chamberfest in special collaborations.

Register for this free event at www.italianweekottawa.ca

Ottawa Italian Festival 2023

Jessica Linnebach

Photo credit: Fred Cattroll

Emily Kruspe

Photo credit: Curtis Perry

Carissa Klopoushak

Photo credit: Curtis Perry

Rachel Mercer

Photo credit: Bo Huang

LUNCHTIME SERIES

Picnic all’Italiana

June 17 | 12:00 | Ev Tremblay Park – 108 Beech Street

Get ready to immerse yourself in a true Italian cultural experience with our Picnic all’Italiana event! Join us at Ev Tremblay Park for an unforgettable al fresco dining experience. Soak up the warm weather and indulge in some delicious Italian treats while lounging on your blankets. From salumi to authentic Italian dessert we’ve got your taste buds covered. This isn’t just any picnic – it’s a celebration of Italian culture and cuisine that you won’t want to miss. So gather your friends and family and join us for a day filled with great food, great company, and an exciting interactive mask-making event for the kids. See you there!

Get your tickets at www.italianweekottawa.ca

Film Screening - Legacy

June 17 | 19:30 | Virtual

We are thrilled to bring you back into the world of the Testa family in Vittorio Rossi’s newest film, Legacy. In our 2021 festival, we featured a screening of Rossi’s The Chain, a film that follows the Testa family exploits. Look in on the Testa family again in this intense sequel as they deal with betrayal.

Montreal-born Vittorio Luciano Rossi is a playwright, actor and screenwriter and grew up in the district of Ville Emard. Graduating from Concordia University specializing in theatre performance, he has earned the respect of the national theatre community with his award-winning plays. In 2006 Mr. Rossi debuted the beginning of what may be his most ambitious work to date, a collection of three plays inspired by the life of his late father entitled A Carpenter’s Trilogy. The three plays include Hellfire Pass (winner of the MECCA Award for Best New Text in 2006), Carmela’s Table (winner of the MECCA Award for Best New Text in 2007), and The Carpenter. His latest play The Envelope had its World Premiere in March 2015, a production which he also directed. This marked his landmark 10th production at The Centaur Theatre.

Register for this free event at www.italianweekottawa.ca

Bike Race Ottawa - Preston

Criterium

June 18 | 09:00 | Preston Street

Get ready for a heart-pumping day of cycling action at Bike Race Ottawa! On Sunday, June 18th, Preston Street will transform into a thrilling racecourse featuring events for all ages and skill levels. Watch young cyclists compete in exciting races or witness the high-speed skills of expert racers as they navigate the challenging corners around Preston Street. With adrenalinepumping excitement at every turn, this event is a must-see for cycling enthusiasts and thrill-seekers alike. Don’t miss out on the chance to witness some of the best cycling action in town!

Mercato di Preston Street

June 18 | 10:00 | Preston Street & Louisa Street

Mercato di Preston Street is inspired by the street markets of Rome or Florence! This open-air market will take place on Sunday, June 18 from 10:00 until 16:00, and will feature local Ottawa artisans offering their creations! Whether it’s handmade soaps, cutting boards, or candles, be sure to stop in to check out the incredible talent of these makers!

Make sure to check our website (www.italianweekottawa.ca) to see the most up-to-date list of vendors!

Ottawa Italian Festival 2023

Italian Week Ottawa Visual Arts Competion Winner

Italian Week Ottawa continued its Visual Arts competition in 2023, and saw a record number of submissions. With Italian Landscapes as our theme, our jury worked to select the painting that best captured that theme. After careful consideration, the jury named Antonella Corrigan the winner.

“Art has always been a part of my life in some form or another! Painting has been my hobby for the past 10 yrs. A love of Italian architecture and landscapes inspired me to paint some of the pictures I’ve taken on many visits to my family’s hometown and country. My other love is animals, and I enjoy the challenge of creating oil portraits that convey a realistic representation. I am self taught, but did belong to an art group led by a professional artist until a few years ago. By painting with the group & with the guidance of the instructor, I was able to refine some skills of which I am most appreciative.”

Ottawa Italian Festival 2023

Artist: Antonella Corrigan