La Dolce Vita
Skytrain line
The history of Italians in Canada dates back to the latter half of the 19th century and early 20th, when they arrived and settled in some of the major Canadian cities, including Vancouver. Their numbers increased in the time between the two world wars, partly because of political instability in Italy. They filled mainly manual labor jobs and faced discrimination. They were in fact interned in camps because they were considered “enemy aliens.” Since then, the Italian communities across Canada have flourished and developed strong bonds that celebrate the influence of their culture on Canadian society (Wikipedia, 2023).
In the 40s and 50s, Italians formed an “enclave” in the Commercial drive area just outside of downtown Vancouver. Throughout the year, the area also attracted other cultures of Latin, Middle Eastern, French, and Greek descent, as well as those with a counter-cultural bent. Italian Day is a yearly festival that celebrates Italian culture with a number of events that include music, art, shopping, and lots of food and drink. The last time it was held was three years ago when it came to a halt because of the plague.
The easiest way to go to Commercial from downtown is via the Skytrain. The train ride is short and sweet, gliding up and down like a roller-coaster, swinging around False Creek where the geodesic dome at Science world looks retro-futuristic, and then on to fairy land on Commercial drive.
Skytrain bridge above Commercial drive
This was a tricky event to photograph precisely because it was packed with people. I had to choose just the right moments. I had no plan and wasn’t really sure what I was going to photograph, but I realized that it was going to be about people and culture. So I put my Olympus TG6 on auto and began a’clickin’.
The theme for this years festival was Renaissance, which pays homage to that magnificent period in Italian history as well as reminding us that, after the viral shitstorm of the past three years, there is revival.
Super Mario!
While the festival is called Italian Day on Commercial Drive, the businesses are diverse, and I even caught sight of Vietnamese coffee served with grilled octopus, prawn, and pork!
nDay0004.jpg](https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/litguru/Eou9G5ar51Yxkrxg9Vk4wTohv4EBeHwGxGVZ5e49Y2kx9C96Bps4LNmEdX7UZTQg5ZS.jpg)
Corn action shot!
Some privacy please
While I am not Italian, I love a good street party, and this one did not disappoint. You do have to come with the mindset that you’re going to eat a lot of the delicious treats, buy yourself a skirt or shirt, and listen to music while swinging your hips. That’s how you enjoy this festival. Go all out, bellissima!
Yes
Live Bees
I didn’t go all out because I was on a photographic mission, and by the time I had walked the length of Commercial drive in the middle of the crowd under a searing late spring sun, I just about had enough. The festivities would go well into the night, and looking down a side street, I saw the downtown towers in the distance and decided to head home that way. The famous Brazilian pastel would have to wait 'till another day.
We're not royalists on these parts, but we do have our princesses
People were surprised when the statue moved, but I had my suspicions
I did get spoiled a bit. In the park where the main stage was located, there was a small cart selling a traditional Italian treat- gellato ice cream. Like Italians, gellato comes in many flavours that take a hold of your tongue like a passionate lover until you beg for more.
Nocciola and Amarena Cherry. You like? Molto delizioso!
Resources
Vancouver's massive Italian Day festival expecting 300,000 attendees
Italian Canadians Wikipedia home page
Images by @litguru
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Such a beautifully diverse place. 👌❤😊 so much charm and style! Love this city.
It is looking more lively than it has these past three years. I'm happy the festival has returned. Thank you for visiting @ykdesign!
I was going to ask if you went all out only to read this part. If I attended this interesting festival, I would be only interested in the food section! 😄 I hope that corn action was popcorn in the making or something sweet.
I love this idea of an ethnic group coming together to celebrate. I had no idea of Italians' integration in Canada. Cool pictures! !LUV 🙂
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I was tempted to purchase food but the lineups were long, and I was a man on a mission. The corn was being served with grilled prawn skewers on top. It looked delicious. It was great fun being there.
I must say, capturing the essence of the festival despite the crowd, delicious looking foods,and the art was a job well done. Beautiful pictures! Seeimg communities come together like this is usually interesting and fun for me. Your Nocciola and Amarena Cherry treat is inviting, I want one😅.
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That ice cream was absolutely tasty. Mm! It is great to see the city opening up and increasing the number of outdoor events. Great fun! Thank you for reading and commenting @esther-emmanuel
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Wow... This is really a great post.
For every explanation there was a picture to back it up making it very easy to read.... Well, I would have done so too because who doesn't snapping love beautiful places 😂
The place is very beautiful and the event is very well organized.
I really get scared when I see people on the thing Super Mario is... I get scared that if they should lose balance and fall that it will be very fatal😂
I am #DREEMER and I Popped in via @dreemport
Much appreciated @sperosamuel15! I enjoyed snapping up pictures. There were many people, so I was being more careful than usual in my composition. The characters on the stilts walked down the street, posing for pictures, and then walked across a park. I was amazed that they didn't fall over or even hesitate. It must take a lot of practice. I would likely break a limb or two trying to do it. 😄
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Thanks sir
I am not Sir. Hehe.
You are most welcome though
Wow... Didn't know.
Pardon my grave mistake Ma
Grave mistake.....!LOLZ
No worries
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Very interesting, I like how you started from historical background. I have never heard about this event. Food looks amazing!
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Thank you @strega.azure! This was a fun cultural even. I wish I had eaten more food though. :)
I hope there will be no more breaks and you will have your way with great food next year:)
😄 oh yes!
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Thanks:)
This is so colourful and nicely detailed. I wish I was there because I'm well known for eating 😂
Well-done.
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Thank you @didiee! It was a very festive atmosphere, and the food looked delicious. The restaurants in the area set up food stalls, so it was great quality food. :)
Good to know!
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Thank you!
it looks very nice everything you show us and good that you are enjoying these beautiful things, I didn't know about this festival.
We celebrate different cultural events like Greeks, Irish, German, Korean, Latin, and so on. So there are several festivals throughout the year that make things fun.
Is this comment made for participation in Dreemport bounty?
Hello friend, yes I did it from dreemport but I was not aware of the tag, sorry. of course I would like the reward. :)
Wow!!!
This is so lovely especially with the catchy photos.
The festival is not that cultural oriente...they were not natively dressed.
Or maybe, I'm expecting to see it in the Africa way. Lol😄.
Lovely write🙌
I came from #dreemport
Good eye @kingsleyy. There were several different stalls and booths with Italian food, but you're right, the festival didn't have the "cultural" atmosphere. To tell you the truth, I think this festival is really an excuse to party, shop, drink, and eat. Celebrate life like an Italian heh 😄
Thank you for visiting.
Oh yeah.
It's a fun one and you guys had fun
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Even without being there, your explanation made it look like i participated in everything that had happen. I am a lover of food and i would like to try new food if i have the chance.
Also, I would like to see a live display of music, it one thing i love the most. I was a great festival. i can tell. also when i saw that statures, I also had my suspicions. I was looking like he was sleeping. It must have been great to partake of the festival
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Thank you @fashtioluwa! It was great looking around for interesting things to photograph. I was there for only a couple of hours but the festival lasted all day and into the night, so I missed a lot of fun music and dances. But it was great. There were two statues, one man and one woman on the other end of the block. They scared some people when they moved. Really fun!
hehehe... yeah, it would have been fun
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When I think of Canada and Vancouver, my body trembles because I think it's a place where the cold weather never ends. But the images suggest that everything is very warm and pleasant. And the profusion of nature with many trees everywhere is wonderful. It is clear that it is a place worth enjoying.
I think you also have to go with an empty stomach and something in your wallet, to enjoy so many culinary alternatives. Without a doubt, it must be a great experience. I was delighted. Greetings from this #dreemer who would like to be there.
Vancouver is warmer than other Canadian cities, so don't get much snow because we're right beside the ocean where the warm tropical winds blow from the south pacific. We do get a lot of rain all year round and this has created a lush rainforest that almost looks out of place in the north.
The food looked delicious but the lineups were long, so I didn't get to try as much food as I wanted. Next time I'll be better prepared to do some munching.
Thank you for visiting and commenting!
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These shots are really something wonderful.. I'll really want to learn form you cause' I admire he way you took these shots.
Thank you for sharing with us.
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Thank you for this wonderful comment @nwothini335! This was a tricky scene to photograph because of the large number of people. So, I would observe the crowds, and when I saw a chance, I took several quick shots of the same scene from different angles, then I picked the ones that looked more interesting to include in the post. It was a fun exercise!
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Like Super Mario brothers?
I literally just checked for the meaning of this word, I have heard it a couple of times in cartoons and I didn't know what it means till now.
Bellissima dear friend!😂😂
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Yes, the guy had a big moustache and was dressed like Super Mario.
Bellissima is a beautiful word 😄
Thank you for visiting, @ibbtammy!
Alright ciao!
Ps: second Italian word that I know 🥰
Congratulations 🥳🥳
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Thank you! and Thank you!
It is a very colorful festival. I had no idea about the Italian community in Canada and how difficult it was for them to settle there. I think they didn't do so bad in New York.
By the way, is this holiday celebrated in June?
I came from #dreemport
It was fun and festive. Italians and other groups like the Irish and French faced discrimination. Old world prejudices were alive and well in the new world. Last year, the city of Vancouver gave an official apology for their treatment during the second world war. This festival is actually not a holiday, but an unofficial event that takes place on the second Sunday of June. It's a fun way to spend the day. Thank you for visiting @jadams2k18!
It so wonderful 😃
I'd really like to be in that festival, it looks SO awesome
Thanks for the pictures, they took me there 😃
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Great! 😃
Keep Dreeming 👍
What a beautiful and salivating cultural celebration.
I don’t know if can survive talk more of enjoy a festival like this cause I don’t fare well in large crowds. Lol.
This was lovely to read and you did a fantastic job with the pictures.
Here from #dreemport.
It was a packed event with shoulder to shoulder crowds. At one point, I was questioning the wisdom of my decision. :)
thank you so much for dropping by and commenting, @atyourservice!
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Haha so you were very much aware that you'll need to eat a lot, buy a new wear, listen to music while you enjoy the party but you did nothing but take shots of others doing it 🤣
Okay, that is hilarious but very cool too, because we got to see these beautiful shots and also see what it is like there thanks to you.
I hope you do go have fun there some other time, not mainly for photography you know 😅
#dreemport led me here and I love what I just read and viewed 😍
Hah, pretty much, yes :) I was aware but not prepared. My plan was to walk one way along the street taking photos, and then walk back and buy food, but by the time I got to the end of the street, I was done with the crowds. So I had ice cream and went home :)
Check this out
Long lines for everything. Yowza!
Lol even I would go the easy way since I wasn't prepared for that kind of a queue 😅
It's cool still
People were really hungry that day, and I couldn't blame them because the food looked yummy :D
Haha I can relate with that totally
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This is nice and colorful. I can't imagine how fun full it will be over there.
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It was fun with a lot of music too and dance too :)
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Pictures indeed speaks. The pictures you shared here added flavor to the experience you shared here. And to know that you weren't an Italian but took out time to be part of the event will mean a lot to Italians who know. You may be on a photographic mission but it was indeed a good thing to be part of other people's event
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It was wonderful. I think the majority of people there were not Italian and were there for the party and food 😄
Thank you for visiting, @joseph23!
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This is super cool! When I saw lots of photographs, I perceived that you were on a mission to take cool shots! So no cause for alarm hehe.
That corn in the picture is it meshed for a soup or popcorn??.. This would be a good opportunity to taste the local foods of the Italian if I were in your shoe...lol
I admire the quality and resolution of the photographs! It's awesome seeing your posts in dreemport, being a #dreemer is worth it 🩵
Absolutely!
The corn was sauteed with a nice sauce and spices then served with grilled shrimp. It looked delicious! It was actually a Vietnamese dish. The vendors had a variety of food from all over the world.
It was a lively festival.
Oh that would be so tasty!...it feels good when you experience other folks culture and tradition💪
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