Thousands of people set aside their cares and soaked in \u201cthe sweet life\u201d, at least for the day, at the Melbourne Italian Festa.<\/p>\n
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Good times: Dino De Cunto takes part in a Zumba class at the Melbourne Italian Festa.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Penny Stephens<\/cite><\/p>\n The rain mostly held off, and singing, socialising, drinking and mangiare (eating) reigned supreme.<\/p>\n And of course there was dancing. Young, old and in-between tried everything from tarantella to line dancing to samba.<\/p>\n Dino De Cunto, 63, of Preston, knew more Zumba moves than many of the younger people dancing alongside him, and had a ball.<\/p>\n The electrician, of Preston, said that five years ago he underwent treatment for lymphoma.<\/p>\n Regular Zumba classes, and going dancing, helped shed some kilos and put a spring back in his step.<\/p>\n His health woes \u2013 he also had two hernia operations \u2013 gave him perspective, and so he enjoys life more. \u201cYou think, why should I not do this?\u201d he says, about dancing and such, advocating enjoying every last minute.<\/p>\n It was the first time for the Italian festival at the Royal Exhibition Building after four decades held in nearby Lygon Street.<\/p>\n Organiser Elaine Bocchini – whose employer, the Italian community assistance association Co.As.It. funded the event, along with state government and City of Melbourne – said it\u2019s hoped the event will run for two days next year and will include activities in Lygon Street and across Melbourne.<\/p>\n Sing it out loud: Stephen Cherubin, Ercolino Tarquinio, Gus Di Clemente and Vince Rossi ( all in the front row) from the Veneto Club Choir.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Penny Stephens<\/cite><\/p>\n On Sunday there were three art exhibitions, three stages, vintage car, fashion and design displays, a wine and degustation section, a panettone display, cooking demonstrations and food stalls.<\/p>\n Bocchini said the event moved partly because the Exhibition Building was central, and could house indoor, as well as outdoor stalls and stages.<\/p>\n Co.As.It. CEO Marco Fedi said \u201cthere is no doubt this is the greatest location in Melbourne\u201d.<\/p>\n He said the Italian community now lives all over Melbourne and like Lygon Street, the Exhibition Building is in Carlton, maintaining a historic link to post-war Italian immigration.<\/p>\n This is fun: Pasquale Luna, 6, (far left), Valentino Frisina, 5, and Claudia Orifici, 6, from Co.As.It\u2019s Doposcuola choir.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Penny Stephens<\/cite><\/p>\n Tarcisio Meneghetti, 90, who migrated from Italy in 1960, was among 25 members of the Veneto Club Choir who performed at the festa on an indoor stage.<\/p>\n Meneghetti says he loves singing the old songs of his native Veneto region.<\/p>\n His daughter, Lisa Meneghetti said the choir was like a men\u2019s shed for her father in being as much about socialising as singing. \u201cIt\u2019s very beneficial to his health,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n On another indoor stage, and at the other end of the age scale, Lisa Razzi, of Thornbury, watched proudly while her son Valentino Frisina, 5, wearing an Italy T-shirt, sang and did actions to pop songs.<\/p>\n Tim Doherty and Rachael Peters from HD Entertainment dressed in Roman garb and roamed the crowd.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Penny Stephens<\/cite><\/p>\n He was among a group of kids from the Co.As.It. Doposcuola (after-hours Italian classes) singing in Italian about food, weather, animals and actions.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was very heart warming,\u201d said Razzi. \u201cWhen I ask every week, picking him up, what did you learn at Italian school, he says, \u2018stuff\u2019, one word answers, so it was nice to see what they have been doing.\u201d<\/p>\n Razzi, whose older son Roman, 9, also performed, is the child of parents who migrated from Abruzzo, Italy in the late 1960s and grew up speaking Italian, as did the children\u2019s father.<\/p>\n She said they want their sons to be bilingual, too. She said the festa was fantastic way to immerse children in their culture, as it would be sad to lose it.<\/p>\n In addition the festa was a good way to showcase the culture to non-Italians, Razzi said.<\/p>\n Start the day with a summary of the day\u2019s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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