CLUB HOSTS ONE OF THE BIGGEST COMMUNITY EVENTS IN THE COUNTRY
Well over 25,000 people flocked to Club Marconi in western Sydney last Sunday to celebrate Italian Republic Day.
They were joined by a long list of dignitaries including Senator The Hon Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, Minister for International Development and the Pacific; His Excellency Mr Pier Francesco Zazo, Ambassador of Italy in Australia; Mr Arturo Arcano, Consul General of Italy; Mr Chris Hayes MP, Chief Opposition Whip, Federal Member for Fowler NSW; Dr Hugh McDermott, State Member for Prospect; Mr Guy Zangari MP, Shadow Minister for Justice & Police, Corrections and Emergency Services and Member for Fairfield; and Mr Frank Carbone Mayor of Fairfield, amongst many others.
The premier event on the club’s calendar, Italian Republic Day or Festa Della Repubblica, is the biggest Italian festival in the country; bigger than Leichhardt’s Norton Street Festival and bigger than the Lygon Street Fiesta in Melbourne.
Italians, Australians of Italian descent and friends and visitors from across Sydney come to feast on pizza, roasted pork, panini, cannoli, terrone, cristoli, gelato and chestnuts all washed down with copious amounts of wine and coffee, and to share and celebrate the culture and traditions that make this community so strong.
It takes months & months of painstaking planning, preparation and resources to pull this massive family event together which includes an Italian mass with a massed choir; over 100 food and specialty stalls; carnival rides, games and activities; non-stop entertainment; cooking demonstrations; classic, vintage and contemporary automobile and motorcycle displays; and a massive fireworks spectacular to close the day.
This is the 10th year the Club has hosted the Italian Republic Day event and it seems to go from strength to strength each year. Club CEO, Grant Imeson said he is very proud to be the CEO of such a strong community club that plays a vital role, not just in the city of Fairfield but across the entire Sydney Italian community. He also wanted to acknowledge the enormous efforts of the staff and volunteers who have worked tirelessly to deliver such a successful event saying it simply could not happen without their wholehearted support.
Senator The Hon Concetta Fierravanti-Wells said that Club Marconi is the heart & soul of the Italian community, not just in Western Sydney but of all greater Sydney. Italian Ambassador, His Excellency Mr Pier Francesco Zazo, was overwhelmed at the huge participation, organisation and attendance and told The Drop he felt honoured to share this special day at Club Marconi. He said the Festa is a lesson in community engagement and showcases the vital and dynamic role that clubs play in the community.
You can catch some of the action at this great community event on the club’s Facebook page videos https://www.facebook.com/marconiclub/
