1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:01,760 Speaker 1: The popular Italian Festival. 2 00:00:01,760 --> 00:00:04,399 Speaker 2: It's coming back. It's going to be at Darwin's Waterfront, 3 00:00:04,800 --> 00:00:07,960 Speaker 2: the Fort Hill park Lands. It's going to turn red, 4 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:12,240 Speaker 2: white and green as it's transformed into Little Italy for 5 00:00:12,320 --> 00:00:15,640 Speaker 2: the fifth Darwin Italian Festival. And joining me on the 6 00:00:15,640 --> 00:00:18,759 Speaker 2: line to tell us a little bit more is Ros Finocchiaro. 7 00:00:18,920 --> 00:00:24,040 Speaker 1: Good morning to your Ross. Good morning very well. 8 00:00:24,040 --> 00:00:28,320 Speaker 2: Now, Ross, you are indeed the Italian Festival Association Chair 9 00:00:28,920 --> 00:00:31,600 Speaker 2: and by the sounds of things, it's going to be 10 00:00:31,640 --> 00:00:34,320 Speaker 2: a fantastic year for the Italian Festival. 11 00:00:35,640 --> 00:00:41,120 Speaker 3: Yes, we've been we've had it in on parks due 12 00:00:41,159 --> 00:00:45,400 Speaker 3: to COVID for some what is it that's now mounting 13 00:00:45,400 --> 00:00:48,400 Speaker 3: close to four years, I think yep. But we're very 14 00:00:48,520 --> 00:00:51,760 Speaker 3: very excited to be able to hold it this year 15 00:00:52,120 --> 00:00:55,760 Speaker 3: at a new location and we've jumped around a little 16 00:00:55,760 --> 00:00:58,520 Speaker 3: bit with our location. We think that keeps a fresh 17 00:00:58,560 --> 00:01:05,480 Speaker 3: and vibrant and so yes, we're furiously trying to pull 18 00:01:05,640 --> 00:01:09,280 Speaker 3: pull all the strings so that we have a marvelous event. 19 00:01:09,959 --> 00:01:12,679 Speaker 2: Well, there is no doubt it'll be fantastic and it's 20 00:01:12,720 --> 00:01:15,800 Speaker 2: going to be this year down at the waterfront. 21 00:01:15,800 --> 00:01:17,479 Speaker 1: What can people expect. 22 00:01:18,760 --> 00:01:26,280 Speaker 3: Well, the usual lineup of of attractions, of various acts. 23 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:28,880 Speaker 3: We're not going to say what they are just yet. 24 00:01:28,880 --> 00:01:31,800 Speaker 3: We're going to announce them over a period of time 25 00:01:31,880 --> 00:01:38,480 Speaker 3: leading up to the festival. Obviously, the you know, the 26 00:01:38,520 --> 00:01:42,240 Speaker 3: cultural dancing that we hope that a few of the 27 00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:47,400 Speaker 3: troops that they're going to join us with. Obviously obviously 28 00:01:47,840 --> 00:01:53,600 Speaker 3: the lovely food, which is a strong part of Italian culture. 29 00:01:55,560 --> 00:01:58,120 Speaker 1: And Ross I reckon that is the element. I reckon. 30 00:01:58,160 --> 00:02:00,440 Speaker 2: The food is what a lot of people are going 31 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:04,640 Speaker 2: to be absolutely hanging out for and wanting to get 32 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:05,280 Speaker 2: stuck into. 33 00:02:05,360 --> 00:02:08,720 Speaker 1: We all love the Italian food, oh. 34 00:02:08,720 --> 00:02:11,720 Speaker 3: Yes, and so do we sometimes a little bit too 35 00:02:11,760 --> 00:02:19,000 Speaker 3: much like you no, So it's a similar format with 36 00:02:19,560 --> 00:02:22,320 Speaker 3: some innovation. We try to do a bit of innovation 37 00:02:22,480 --> 00:02:26,000 Speaker 3: each and every year. The quality of the food's got 38 00:02:26,040 --> 00:02:30,639 Speaker 3: to be there and the authenticity of it. So our 39 00:02:30,720 --> 00:02:35,760 Speaker 3: vendors that are keen to join us, and they always 40 00:02:35,800 --> 00:02:39,840 Speaker 3: are understand that and I think in the past have 41 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:42,760 Speaker 3: proven that they can really do a good job and 42 00:02:42,800 --> 00:02:44,720 Speaker 3: we're expecting the same going forward. 43 00:02:45,120 --> 00:02:47,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, Ross, how do you go through that process of 44 00:02:48,400 --> 00:02:51,320 Speaker 2: you know, finding the vendors when it comes to the food, 45 00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:55,440 Speaker 2: because yeah, it's it's one of those things where everybody 46 00:02:55,680 --> 00:02:58,000 Speaker 2: just like they love Italian food and you've got to 47 00:02:58,040 --> 00:03:00,360 Speaker 2: make sure that the quality of it's high, which it 48 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:02,560 Speaker 2: always is at the Italian Festival. 49 00:03:03,840 --> 00:03:09,000 Speaker 3: Yes, well, it's it's a it's a process, and many 50 00:03:09,200 --> 00:03:14,600 Speaker 3: vendors are repeat you know, express and interest almost immediately 51 00:03:14,639 --> 00:03:18,120 Speaker 3: after we finished one festival, asked to be to be 52 00:03:18,200 --> 00:03:21,800 Speaker 3: considered for the further for the next festival, we always 53 00:03:21,800 --> 00:03:25,280 Speaker 3: add a few more and and we provide them an 54 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:29,960 Speaker 3: understanding about, you know, the array of food that we 55 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:32,160 Speaker 3: want offered, that it has to it has to have 56 00:03:32,280 --> 00:03:38,160 Speaker 3: a serious and genuine connection to Italian culture. And they 57 00:03:38,200 --> 00:03:40,880 Speaker 3: can come on that basis and usually you can tell 58 00:03:40,920 --> 00:03:44,760 Speaker 3: if they're keen to be involved and they've got passion that, 59 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:47,760 Speaker 3: you know, for the preparation of food and serving it, 60 00:03:48,600 --> 00:03:51,680 Speaker 3: you can you know, usually you can tell, and they're 61 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:53,360 Speaker 3: the sort of people we want on board. 62 00:03:54,120 --> 00:03:54,320 Speaker 2: Ross. 63 00:03:54,400 --> 00:03:56,600 Speaker 1: Do you have any idea from previous years? 64 00:03:56,640 --> 00:03:58,240 Speaker 2: And this might be a bit way out, but do 65 00:03:58,280 --> 00:04:01,000 Speaker 2: you have any idea how many cares of things like 66 00:04:01,160 --> 00:04:03,320 Speaker 2: past are you sold in previous years? 67 00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:09,240 Speaker 3: I must admit I personally do not. I'm sure that 68 00:04:09,960 --> 00:04:17,840 Speaker 3: the vendors have that, and I suppose probably the the 69 00:04:18,560 --> 00:04:22,039 Speaker 3: person that deals with the vendors all the time does 70 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:26,200 Speaker 3: that and looks after that. We certainly talk about We 71 00:04:26,240 --> 00:04:29,720 Speaker 3: certainly talk about the portions, the amount of people that 72 00:04:29,800 --> 00:04:32,880 Speaker 3: come along. I don't have the numbers off the top 73 00:04:32,880 --> 00:04:36,240 Speaker 3: of my head in terms of portions. We certainly also 74 00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:42,120 Speaker 3: talk about queues. We don't like long queues. Sometimes they 75 00:04:42,279 --> 00:04:45,760 Speaker 3: happen some stores are more popular than others, and so 76 00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:50,279 Speaker 3: sometimes there's an imbalance in the length of cues, but 77 00:04:50,360 --> 00:04:52,680 Speaker 3: we actually talk about them and try and solve them 78 00:04:52,720 --> 00:04:56,000 Speaker 3: ahead of time. Some we get well, most of the 79 00:04:56,000 --> 00:04:58,720 Speaker 3: time I think we get it right, but we make 80 00:04:58,880 --> 00:04:59,320 Speaker 3: errors too. 81 00:05:00,279 --> 00:05:02,120 Speaker 2: And you know, it's like, I just think it's so 82 00:05:02,200 --> 00:05:05,839 Speaker 2: interesting to see how many people turn up. It's always 83 00:05:05,960 --> 00:05:10,880 Speaker 2: such a busy event, and rightly so. Everybody loves getting 84 00:05:10,920 --> 00:05:14,440 Speaker 2: out there and experiencing the Italian culture. And as you 85 00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:15,920 Speaker 2: mentioned right at the start, it's going to be a 86 00:05:15,960 --> 00:05:18,360 Speaker 2: little bit different this year because it is moving to 87 00:05:18,440 --> 00:05:21,760 Speaker 2: the waterfront. What can people like, how will it be 88 00:05:21,800 --> 00:05:26,000 Speaker 2: sort of how will it be different from that operational 89 00:05:26,040 --> 00:05:27,960 Speaker 2: perspective down there at the waterfront. 90 00:05:28,920 --> 00:05:32,640 Speaker 3: Well, in the past we've had it's a bit more 91 00:05:32,640 --> 00:05:36,520 Speaker 3: it's a more open site. It's obviously right next to 92 00:05:36,600 --> 00:05:39,880 Speaker 3: a water, the water body of water to harbor, so 93 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:42,400 Speaker 3: it just gives a different ambiance. I mean, it was 94 00:05:42,440 --> 00:05:44,800 Speaker 3: a scary decision to move it away. You know, it's 95 00:05:44,839 --> 00:05:47,599 Speaker 3: always easy to do the same thing over and over people. 96 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:50,839 Speaker 3: That gets rid of a lot of unknown and when 97 00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:54,880 Speaker 3: you get a really, really good response from a location, 98 00:05:55,600 --> 00:05:59,920 Speaker 3: the instinct is to do it again because you fear 99 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:03,720 Speaker 3: that otherwise, you think, well, maybe people might not warm 100 00:06:03,760 --> 00:06:07,000 Speaker 3: to a new location. But we've often taken the view 101 00:06:07,160 --> 00:06:10,520 Speaker 3: that by looking at a new location in a new way, 102 00:06:11,080 --> 00:06:14,919 Speaker 3: it just gives it a slightly different vibe, and we 103 00:06:14,960 --> 00:06:18,800 Speaker 3: think it'll be more open, less tree canopy obviously, but 104 00:06:18,880 --> 00:06:22,640 Speaker 3: we have to put up shade, so you know, we 105 00:06:22,200 --> 00:06:27,080 Speaker 3: just we just provide a different sort of vibe about it. Yeah, 106 00:06:27,440 --> 00:06:29,320 Speaker 3: very Italian, but just different. 107 00:06:29,800 --> 00:06:34,320 Speaker 2: Absolutely, it'll be wonderful. So it's happening the thirteenth of May. 108 00:06:35,640 --> 00:06:39,200 Speaker 3: The thirteenth of May, that's it, So we choose around 109 00:06:39,200 --> 00:06:42,960 Speaker 3: that time. It's the kickoff to our dry season more 110 00:06:43,040 --> 00:06:45,760 Speaker 3: or less without a significant risk of the rain day. 111 00:06:47,200 --> 00:06:52,880 Speaker 3: And then that leads into what hopefully is is a season, 112 00:06:53,560 --> 00:06:57,359 Speaker 3: a new season of festivals that will come after that. 113 00:06:58,160 --> 00:07:01,240 Speaker 2: Well, ROSSI are lovely to speak to you this morning. 114 00:07:01,279 --> 00:07:04,200 Speaker 2: It does sound as though it's going to be a 115 00:07:04,240 --> 00:07:07,320 Speaker 2: wonderful event. We have just had somebody message through wondering 116 00:07:07,360 --> 00:07:10,160 Speaker 2: how come it hasn't had happened happened for the last 117 00:07:10,200 --> 00:07:10,720 Speaker 2: few years. 118 00:07:10,800 --> 00:07:12,120 Speaker 1: Was that as a result of COVID. 119 00:07:13,360 --> 00:07:19,480 Speaker 3: That's it. Yeah, we decided not to press to press 120 00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:23,640 Speaker 3: on with our plans previously because of COVID. It was 121 00:07:23,640 --> 00:07:26,720 Speaker 3: a very difficult thing to do. We have to commit 122 00:07:27,320 --> 00:07:33,120 Speaker 3: lots of resources to pre commit them, and if, for example, 123 00:07:33,360 --> 00:07:37,679 Speaker 3: you book acts and you pay deposits and they book 124 00:07:37,840 --> 00:07:41,960 Speaker 3: and they set aside their calendar, if you do not proceed, 125 00:07:42,840 --> 00:07:46,800 Speaker 3: then you still have to meet the financial obligation, which 126 00:07:46,840 --> 00:07:50,680 Speaker 3: is understandable, but from our point of view, it just 127 00:07:50,720 --> 00:07:53,760 Speaker 3: seemed too risky. And also the other thing too, is 128 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:56,679 Speaker 3: that people with the best advice was that we should 129 00:07:57,080 --> 00:08:02,360 Speaker 3: have these big events within that vironment. So that's COVID environment. 130 00:08:02,400 --> 00:08:05,360 Speaker 3: So we just thought we'd listen to the advice and 131 00:08:05,520 --> 00:08:06,160 Speaker 3: common sense. 132 00:08:06,240 --> 00:08:07,880 Speaker 1: Really, yeah, I think that's fair enough. 133 00:08:07,920 --> 00:08:10,880 Speaker 2: And particularly when you're looking at those booking in those 134 00:08:10,960 --> 00:08:14,320 Speaker 2: acts and things like that, for a wonderful community event, 135 00:08:14,720 --> 00:08:17,000 Speaker 2: you've got to make sure that, yeah, that you're doing 136 00:08:17,000 --> 00:08:19,720 Speaker 2: what's best for everybody. So I think that that is 137 00:08:19,760 --> 00:08:22,520 Speaker 2: a pretty sound decision to have made. 138 00:08:23,200 --> 00:08:24,800 Speaker 1: Ross. I think we'll all be very. 139 00:08:24,760 --> 00:08:27,520 Speaker 2: Much looking forward to the thirteenth of May. Thank you 140 00:08:27,600 --> 00:08:29,760 Speaker 2: so very much for having a chat with us this morning. 141 00:08:30,760 --> 00:08:34,520 Speaker 3: Thanks very much, Katie, thank you. Looking forward to everybody 142 00:08:34,640 --> 00:08:35,559 Speaker 3: at the Italian System. 143 00:08:35,720 --> 00:08:37,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, we're all looking forward to it, looking forward to 144 00:08:37,800 --> 00:08:39,480 Speaker 2: getting stuck into the food as well. 145 00:08:39,559 --> 00:08:40,640 Speaker 1: Ross, thank you.