Ferragosto Festival: Italian cultural festival, Canada Bay scrambles for Federal, State government funding

Sydney’s most ‘important Italian Festival’ – a staple for nearly three decades – has council scrambling to find funds, with pleas to the government. Here’s what it means for vendors and locals.

Sydney’s most “important Italian Festival” which has been a staple of an inner west community for nearly three decades is facing financial pressure, as council scramble to find funds.

The Ferragosto Festival, which is held in Five Dock, has become the biggest Italian festival in Sydney and, since its inception in 1998, has expanded to host up 150,000 people last year alone.

However as the festival has grown so to have its financial demands.

More then 150,000 people attended the festival in August this year

Costs for security, policing, staging equipment and activations have ballooned with the expansion of the festival, leaving Canada Bay Council with challenges of how to make sure it is financially secure.

The festival reached its height out last year, while at the same time, its current funding agreement with the NSW Government is set to lapse.

“Our events and marketing team have already begun work on sponsorship for 2024 and beyond”, Mayor Angelo Tsirekas told council.

“But for the festival to be financially viable into the future, this support must be supplemented with support from the federal and state governments.”

Canada Bay Mayor Angelo Tsirekas, is pushing for government support.

Inner west business owner Robert De Grazia, who co-owns his family Gelato Business, Duccio Gelato, has seen the festival change over the 20 years his business has been involved.

“We’ve been here for 22 years, been part of the festival for 20 of those years, and for the last five we’ve been sponsors,” he said.

“People come from far and wide - I think people would really miss it, everyone expects it to be on, it’s the biggest Italian festival in Sydney.”

Robert De Grazia at Ducio gelato,Five Dock.

“For me as a business owner, it’s the start of our gelato season.

“It’s the big hit off for summer, we are quite most of winter, so the festival is important to kick start our busy time.”

A council spokesman said the festival was the region’s leading event and one that council is confident it will return in 2024.

Ferragosto Festival needs support from the government to keep it from going under

“Ferragosto is the City of Canada Bay’s premier annual event and one of Sydney’s most loved cultural festivals, welcoming over 120,000 people a year to Great North Road,” the spokesperson said.

“Canada Bay Councillors … called for funding commitments from the state and federal government for Sydney’s largest Italian street festival.

“Costs for the festival have increased significantly in the past few years as the festival has grown, in particular costs for safety and for the security of participants.

Council is determined to see the Ferragosto Festival return in 2024.