Parades, bocce tournaments and, of course, hazelnut-filled beavertails will be part of the festivities during this year’s Montreal Italian Week. The 24th annual event will take place from Aug. 4-13 in locations around the city and will boast tons of family-friendly fun inspired by Italian traditions.
The festival will return to Montreal’s Little Italy, N.D.G and St. Leonard neighbourhoods, and will also host activities in LaSalle for the first time.
The big event for kids this year is the 8th annual Il Piccolo Leonardo drawing contest. Children aged 4-12 are invited to submit drawings inspired by this year’s theme: Sicily. They can use any materials and draw on either paper or canvas.
Winners will be chosen from each of three age groups (4-6, 7-9 and 10-12) and a grand prize winner will be selected among the three. Winners will be announced during the festival’s press conference on Aug. 1 at the Casa d’Italia Centre, and will each receive a plaque.
Participants must mail their drawings to the National Congress of Italian-Canadians office by July 25. Drawings must include a title, the child’s name, age, phone number, postal code and email address on the back. For more information, visit italianweek.ca/files/FLYER-PICCOLO-ANG.pdf.
N.D.G’s Parc Georges St. Pierre will host tons of activities for kids, including inflatable playgrounds, face-painting and balloons from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Families can also check out new and classic cars at the Fiat 500 exposition, which will be on Oxford St. on Aug. 6 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and on Jean-Talon St. in Little Italy throughout the entire festival.
For more information, visit italianweek.ca.
