Entry is free and there is nothing to book: walk up any time on either day. Live music, DJs, kids' activities, cooking demos, sport and film screenings are all included.

Only two experiences are ticketed, Expo Sapori and the Italian Jazz Club. Their tickets, and raffle tickets, are sold on the Festa store.

A ticketed wine and food tasting experience inside the free Festa, on the Gallery level (Zone S): more than 100 Italian wines, gourmet specialities, masterclasses in some sessions, and the producers behind them. Seats are limited. Expo Sapori · Buy tickets

Parliament Station is about a 10-minute walk through the Carlton Gardens, and Melbourne Central around 15 minutes. Trams 86 and 96 stop at the Royal Exhibition Building / Melbourne Museum, and the free City Circle tram stops nearby. Getting there · Festival map

Plenty, for every age: workshops, face painting, crafts and Italian language play in the CO.AS.IT. Kids' Area (Gallery level), a magician at 11am both days, rides for little ones and teens, an animal farm, mini soccer and kids' mini golf in Il Giardino, and primary school choirs on the Upstairs Stage from 11.30am. Kids & Family · Festival map

Stalls for 2026 are essentially full, with the odd one reopening. Register your interest with the exhibitor application form; for 2027 the same form opens early in the year. Please read the vendor terms first. Questions: mif@coasit.com.au or (03) 9349 9000.

Yes. The Royal Exhibition Building and Museum Plaza have ramps and lifts, accessible toilets and step-free paths through the gardens, and accessibility services are marked on the festival map. For specific access needs, email mif@coasit.com.au and we'll help you plan your visit.

Saturday 17 October, 11am to 10.30pm, and Sunday 18 October, 11am to 8.30pm, at the Royal Exhibition Building & Grounds, 9 Nicholson Street, Carlton, next to Melbourne Museum.

Opening hours and getting there: Plan Your Day. Every zone is on the festival map.

Every session includes tastings of more than 100 Italian wines, the Italian food discovery table, and snacks and water in the resting area, and you can buy your favourites direct from the producers. Afternoon and Evening sessions also include the wine and food masterclasses; Mini Mattina sessions do not. Expo Sapori

Search by name in the What's On directory, which lists every exhibitor with its zone, then open the festival map to see the exact stall.

No. Every kids' zone, family show, school performance and sport activity is walk-up and included with free entry, for toddlers through to teens. Amusement rides may charge per ride. Kids & Family

Paid parking is at the Melbourne Museum underground car park (entry from Rathdowne Street). Street parking nearby is limited, so arrive early if you drive, or come by tram or train. Getting there

Australia's largest Italian marketplace, more than 150 food and drink stalls, live music on the Verrocchi Stage and at La Discoteca, the Italian Jazz Club, Expo Sapori tastings, cooking demos, kids' activities, bocce and sport, and vintage Vespa, Ferrari and Lamborghini displays.

Browse everything in What's On, or see the show program with times.

Yes. All workshops and activations are run by trained operators. The family zones are both indoors and outdoors, so you can move between the halls and the open-air areas.

There are 235 stands across the weekend: street food, Italian regional producers, artisan goods and retail brands. Food and drink · Shopping

Saturday 17 October: Mini Mattina 11am to 1pm, Afternoon 1pm to 4pm, Evening 5pm to 8pm. Sunday 18 October: Mini Mattina 11am to 1pm, Afternoon 1pm to 4pm.

Mini Mattina (2 hours, no masterclasses) is $28; Afternoon and Evening (3 hours, with masterclasses) are $43. Early-bird prices apply while allocations last. Buy tickets

Yes. There are Bicycle Network parking points around the precinct. Getting there · Festival map

A free two-day celebration of Italian culture in Melbourne, presented by CO.AS.IT. at the Royal Exhibition Building & Grounds: street food and bars, a marketplace of 235 stands, live music, premium tastings and family activities. About the Festa

Yes. The interactive festival map shows every stall, stage, bar and amenity, including toilets and accessibility services, and is updated right up to the weekend, so bookmark it on your phone. Printed maps are available at the info points on the day. Show times: show program.

Yes. Wide indoor and outdoor areas, ramps and lifts inside the Royal Exhibition Building, and covered seating and rest areas make it easy with a pram. Kids' zones and amenities are on the festival map.

Yes, while your session runs: you can step out and back in during your 2-hour Mini Mattina or 3-hour Afternoon or Evening session. After it ends you need another ticket. Sessions

CO.AS.IT., the Italian Assistance Association, which has served Melbourne's Italian community from Carlton since 1968. The Festa brings together 235 stands and 500+ performers and volunteers; it drew 130,000 visitors in 2025, with 150,000 expected in 2026. About CO.AS.IT.

Tastings are for guests aged 18 and over with valid ID. Children may come in with a ticketed adult but are not served alcohol.

Piccole Voci Geniali brings primary school choirs to the Upstairs Stage from 11.30am both days, and the Students Talent Show opens the Verrocchi Stage on Saturday at 11am. Both are part of the Week of the Italian Language in the World, endorsed by the Consulate General of Italy. Student Sounds

Both. The market hall, Expo Sapori, the Jazz Club, Bar Italia, the Kids' Area and the Upstairs Stage are inside the Royal Exhibition Building; La Piazza, the Verrocchi Stage, La Discoteca and Il Giardino are outdoors. You can move freely between them. Festival map

Every show and performer, with times and stages, is in the show program, which you can filter by day, category or area. Live music by stage is on the Music page.

Yes. The market hall, the Gallery level and much of the seating are under cover, so there is always somewhere dry. Outdoor programming may be adjusted in heavy weather. Festival map

Expo Sapori sells a limited number of tickets at the door if a session is not sold out, but online early-bird prices are cheaper: Expo Sapori tickets. Jazz Club seating is very limited, so book online: Jazz Club tickets.

Yes. There is seating throughout the outdoor precinct, beach-style resting areas in the Birra Moretti Beer Garden (Il Giardino), and plenty of covered space inside the Royal Exhibition Building and on the Gallery level. Festival map

Six intimate, seated jazz concerts created for the Festa and part of the Melbourne International Jazz Festival program, in the Gallery theatrette (Zone R) in a cocktail-lounge setting. Three concerts each day, at 2pm, 4pm and 6pm. Italian Jazz Club · Buy tickets

The Festa runs until 10.30pm on Saturday and 8.30pm on Sunday. After dark there are Italian DJs on the Verrocchi Stage, the Pellegrini's documentary on the Upstairs Stage, Jazz Club concerts at 6pm and, on Saturday, the Expo Sapori evening session from 5pm to 8pm. Show program

Saturday 17 October: 2pm Sandro Giambruno, 'From Sicily to Melbourne'; 4pm Gianni Marinucci, 'CASA: Finding Home'; 6pm Adam Russo, 'Che Belle Corde!'.

Sunday 18 October: 2pm Steve Rando, 'Cinema Italiano'; 4pm Phil Turcio, 'Heritage'; 6pm Ashley Ballat, 'Bloodlines'. Line-up and bios · Buy tickets

Yes. Toilets, including accessible toilets, are inside and around the Royal Exhibition Building and Museum Plaza, with more amenities across the outdoor zones. Festival map

The Verrocchi Stage in La Piazza runs from 11am both days: the Student Talent Show, the formal opening on Saturday at 3pm, community choirs, bands including Santa Taranta, Pauly J and Bella Ciao Banda Italiana, the maritozzi eating competition, the raffle draw on Sunday at 5pm, and DJs after dark. Times: show program.

Yes, there is on-site first aid all weekend. Ask any staff member or volunteer for the nearest First Aid point, or check the festival map.

Each ticket covers one seated, one-hour concert in the Gallery theatrette, with Viva Italia Cocktail Bar serving Italian wines and cocktails throughout. Book a single seat with a glass of wine, or a table for four in a prominent position. For larger groups, email mif@coasit.com.au. Buy tickets

At La Discoteca in Zone D: an open-air dance floor with Italo disco DJs from morning till after dark, free and with no ticket needed. After dark the DJs move to the Verrocchi Stage in La Piazza on both nights. Live music · Festival map

In the order confirmation email from the Festa store; there is nothing to print. Show it on your phone at the door on the Gallery level: Expo Sapori is in Zone S, the Jazz Club theatrette in Zone R (arrive early, concerts start on time).

Can't find it? Check your spam folder, then email mif@coasit.com.au with your order number. Festival map

Yes. Go to the nearest info point, marked on the festival map, and talk to the volunteers. After the event, email mif@coasit.com.au or call (03) 9349 9000.

Free live cooking demos with Guy Grossi and guest chefs on the Upstairs Stage (Gallery level, Zone T), one course at a time. Saturday: antipasto 2pm, primo 3.30pm, secondo 4.30pm, dolce 6.15pm. Sunday: antipasto 2pm, dolce 3pm, primo 4pm, secondo 5.30pm. Show program · Festival map

Yes. In La Gara del Biscotto, judged by Guy Grossi, ten finalists bake off live and the winners are announced on the Upstairs Stage on Saturday 17 October at 5.30pm. Entries have closed for 2026. There is also a maritozzi eating competition on the Verrocchi Stage on Sunday at 2.30pm. La Gara del Biscotto

Tickets cannot be refunded once purchased (see the refund policy), but you can pass your confirmation email to a friend to use in your place. Merchandise can be returned within 30 days in its original condition.

No, there is no cloakroom or luggage storage, so travel light. Info points can help with directions and lost property but cannot store bags.

More than 150 food and drink stalls: pizza and pinsa, fresh pasta and gnocchi, arrosticini and salsicce from the grill, fritto di mare, arancini, panini and focaccia, gelato, cannoli, tiramisu and pastries, plus coffee and bars, outdoors and in the market hall. Browse by dish · Festival map

Tickets are $10 each, or in bundles from 3 for $25 up to 50 for $350, on the Festa store. Your ticket numbers arrive by email after purchase.

The draw is on Sunday 18 October at 5pm, live on the Verrocchi Stage and the Upstairs Stage, and you don't need to be there to win: winners are contacted using the details on their order. Prizes, permit and terms

Take the stairs or the lifts inside the Royal Exhibition Building. Upstairs are Expo Sapori (Zone S), the Jazz Club (Zone R), Bar Italia (Zone O), the Art & Design exhibition (Zone Q), the Upstairs Stage (Zone T) and the CO.AS.IT. Kids' Area. First Floor guide · Festival map

Yes, there are vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free choices across the stalls, but there is no dietary filter, so please ask vendors on the day. Browse every food stall in the Eat & Drink directory.

Almost $32,000 in prizes. First prize is a limited-edition 80th Anniversary Vespa 300 TS, then two sets of return Turkish Airlines flights to Italy, Bessemer cookware, a year of Barilla pasta, an illy coffee package and more. See the Vespa on display in the Gallery. All prizes · Buy tickets

Ask any staff member or volunteer, or go to an info point, marked on the festival map. Info points have printed maps and handle lost property. For medical help, ask for the nearest First Aid point.

Yes. The IF Celebratory Plates ($15 each, or $50 for the set of four) are sold on the Festa store and at the merchandise stand. Delivery within Australia is confirmed by email after purchase; we cannot ship overseas. You can also collect at the Festa or, after the weekend, at CO.AS.IT., 189 Faraday Street, Carlton.

Yes. The Birra Moretti Beer Garden in Il Giardino, Viva Cocktail Bar and Bar Italia on the Gallery level, the Italo Disco bar, the Prosecco Van and more bars across the outdoor piazzas serve beer, wine, spritz, cocktails, coffee and soft drinks. Drinks stalls · Festival map

Yes. Bar Italia is the Festa's only sit-down dining, on the Gallery level (Zone O) overlooking the hall, with table service, wines, granita and Lavazza espresso martinis. Seats are limited, so book on OpenTable. Festival map

Yes. At Expo Sapori you can buy your favourite wines direct from the producers after tasting them, and wine stalls in the market are listed in the wine directory. Expo Sapori

No. Alcohol must be bought and consumed within the licensed areas at the event.

Most vendors accept card and contactless payments. Carrying a little cash is wise for smaller stalls.

Dogs are welcome in the outdoor areas, but under health and safety laws no animals are allowed indoors, in food service areas or in bars. Assistance animals are welcome everywhere.

Victorian rules apply: no smoking or vaping inside the buildings, in food service or dining areas, or near the kids' zones. Please step away from crowded areas.

Yes. The Festa is open festival-style, so you can come and go all day. Expo Sapori and Jazz Club tickets are for set session times.

Yes. The Art & Design Exhibition on the Gallery level (Zone Q) shows Italian artists based in Australia alongside pieces from Italy, with design installations and interactive stations. Nearby are the Community Hub with Italian regional associations and the 80th-anniversary Vespa display. First Floor guide · Festival map

Yes. Performing artists and guests from Italian sport, screen and music drop into Viva Cocktail Bar on the Gallery level for meet-and-greets, signings and photos across the weekend. First Floor guide

Yes. Eight vintage Vespas covering 80 years of the marque are in the Gallery with Vespa Club Melbourne, beside the raffle prize Vespa. Ferrari, Lamborghini, Italian vintage cars and mega trucks are on show outdoors with their motor clubs. First Floor · Outdoor Discovery

Yes, just turn up. Lo Sport in Il Giardino (Zone E) has bocce with sign-up rounds on the day, the Coca-Cola foosball tournament, AC Milan Club and Kew East FC soccer activations, giant outdoor games and jazzminton. Spectators welcome. Outdoor Discovery · Festival map

Yes. Pellegrini's screens on the Upstairs Stage (Gallery level) on Saturday at 8pm and 9pm, and on Sunday at 7pm, free with festival entry. Show program · Festival map

Official Festa merchandise, including celebratory plates, tea towels, bottle openers, tote bags and limited-run designs, is sold on the Festa store and at the merchandise stand, marked on the festival map. Stock is limited, so buying online before the weekend is safest.

Limited-edition Festa show bags filled with Italian flavours, 200 per day, sold online and on site. Check availability on the Festa store.

Email mif@coasit.com.au or call (03) 9349 9000. CO.AS.IT. is at 189 Faraday Street, Carlton VIC 3053. The contact page lists the right inbox for exhibitors, media and sponsorship.

Sign up for email updates: schedule changes and ticket announcements land there first. You can also follow the Festa on Instagram and on Facebook as Melbourne Italian Festa.

We would love your help. Email mif@coasit.com.au with your name, phone number and the days you are available, and the team will send you the volunteer registration form.

Italian regional associations, community groups and cultural organisations gather in the Community Hub on the Gallery level. To take part, email mif@coasit.com.au with your proposal. Contact page

Every tier, from naming sponsorships to in-kind contributions, helps keep general admission free. Email mif@coasit.com.au for the 2026 sponsor pack, and meet this year's sponsors and partners.

Photos, video, press releases and a presentation are on the media page. For press passes and interviews, email mif@coasit.com.au.