User:La Fiera Italian Festival

From Wikitravel Shared

[edit] La Fiera Italian Festival

[edit] May 25 to 27, 2012

Myrtleford, Victoria, Australia

Myrtleford is a town of some 3,000 people located in the Ovens Valley in north-east Victoria. It is about 290km from Melbourne. The drive time from there is approximately 3 hours. Public transport options are limited to rail to Wangaratta then by bus.

It is home to many Italian families who over the generations have contributed enormously to the town's vibrant spirit. Set in an idyllic valley at the base of Victoria's alpine region, Myrtleford has earned a reputation for the quality of its produce, its splendid wines and perhaps most importantly, an unhurried lifestyle.

About La Fiera

This year, La Fiera is the penultimate event of the High Country Harvest festival which will be showcasing the talents of winemakers, brewers and food producers throughout the north east region of Victoria. It will run from Friday, May 18 to Sunday, May 27, 2012.

As Italian people are all about passion and creativity, 'La Fiera' sets out to capture this spirit by showcasing their art, culture and of course, their food and wine. Here is a summary of the programme.

There will be a Food & Wine Festa on Saturday, May 26 where you can try local wines and traditional dishes from around Italy plus live 'Nonni in Cucina' cooking demonstrations that afternoon. During the day there will be a terrific puppet show for the kids, a grape treading competition, a baristas race and an old Italian game of skill called the 'Tree of Fortune'!

On the Sunday, the wining and dining continues. You can sit down to a wonderful feast of regional food and wine from the Trentino region in northern Italy whilst watching a free re-enactment of the Living Chess Match, or you can join a local Italian family over lunch for some traditional home-style cooking. Alternatively, wine lovers can book a coach tour of small boutique wineries not usually open to the public. An Italian BBQ is provided during the lunch break.

Two of our wineries will feature Italian menus with wines matched to each course. Gapsted Wines is offering a 'Taste of Italy' on all three days and on the Sunday Michelini Wines invites you to join them with your friends at their 'Long Pasta Lunch' .

As ever, we will be showcasing many other elements of Italian culture. On Friday, May 25 there will be a performance of Emma Celebrazione, a witty and poignant play based on the life of a woman who migrated to Western Australia with her family from Italy in 1939 (the ticket price includes a pasta smorgasbord during the interval break). There will be an art exhibition running over the weekend, an evening of Italian opera on the Saturday night, a cinematic tribute to Sophia Loren on the Sunday night, a special procession and Mass in honour of St. Anthony of Padua on the Saturday morning plus an exhibit on the Saturday and Sunday depicting the lives of Italian soldiers imprisoned in a camp located near Myrtleford during the Second World War

You can also enjoy a full day of soccer or play bocce on the Sunday. The Italian Connection Trophy Motor Rally is coming again on a date to be fixed.

Accommodation

There are two excellent motels, three hotels, two caravan parks, two bed and breakfasts plus a number of rental cottages. The local Visitor Information Centre can provide details. Call them on +613/03 5755 0514.

Other things to see and do

There are local wineries you can visit located in the Ovens and Kiewa valleys, and Myrtleford is about a 30-minute drive from historic towns such as Bright, Mt Beauty, Beechworth and Yackandandah. The town is midpoint along the Murray to the Mountains Rail Trail, a 94km cycle track which extends from Wangaratta to Bright with a side trail to Beechworth.

Other worthwhile activities include visits to Mount Buffalo, Mount Hotham and Falls Creek. These places are favourite ski destinations in winter and the alpine views are spectacular at any time of year. Also close by is Bright, the Milawa Gourmet Region and the King Valley.

Useful links:

La Fiera - http://www.festival.org.au About Myrtleford - http://www.visitmyrtleford.com/index.html Accommodation and attractions - http://www.visitalpinevictoria.com.au/ Italian Connection Trophy - http://www.italianconnection.com.au/ Murray to Mountains Rail trail - http://www.murraytomountains.com.au/

Email enquiries

enquiries@festival.org.au