Taste of the Mediterranean at Peterborough Italian Festival

The two day festival is now in its eighth year and is the biggest event of its kind in the UK.

Distinguished Sicilian-born chef Carmelo Carnevale will be hosting cooking demonstrations on both Saturday 10 September and Sunday 11 September 2016.

Executive chef at Aman resorts and President of APCI UK, the professional Italian chef alliance in the UK, Carmelo’s career has taken him all over Europe and Russia – and to some of London’s leading restaurants.

The festival takes place in Cathedral Square and is organised by Peterborough’s Italian Community Association and supported by the city council.

An Italian market will offer a wide range of tantalising sweet and savoury food including wood-fired pizza and homemade desserts, and there will be wine tasting for the adults.

Other attractions include trade stands selling Italian pasta, traditional ice cream, breads, olive oils and balsamic vinegars.

Children will be kept entertained by a magician, face painting and they can take part in art workshops.

For vehicle enthusiasts, Ducati motorbikes and Vespas and Lambrettas will be on display alongside a variety of Italian cars dating from 1955 to the present day. Fiat will also be there to launch their new Spider car.

Italian singers, including opera, and dancers will also perform over the course of the weekend.

Councillor Janet Goodwin, cabinet member for city centre management, culture and tourism, said: “This will be a real taste of ‘La Dolce Vita’ right in Peterborough’s city centre and a fantastic weekend.

“The Peterborough Italian Festival is one of the most looked forward to dates in the city centre calendar as there is always so much to see and do. The city has a rich Italian heritage and it is wonderful to see it celebrated so well each year.

“Having a chef of the pedigree Carmelo Carnevale attending the festival is also a real coup and I am sure visitors will be interested to learn from him and find out new ways to experiment with their home cooking.”

The festival runs from 12noon to 5pm each day.