Ciao Italia Matthews

Ciao Italia Matthews is a festival celebrating Italian culture, cuisine, music, history, and regional traditions in Matthews, North Carolina. Held at Stumptown Park, the event invites visitors to experience the atmosphere of an Italian piazza and explore Italy’s influence around the world. Guests can enjoy Italian food, wine, gelato, and pastries while listening to strolling musicians playing mandolin, accordion, and violin.

The festival’s program features live entertainment throughout the day, including a Frank Sinatra tribute, performances of operatic and popular Italian songs, and a comedic introduction to Italian gestures and phrases. Visitors can also attend classes in pasta making, clay sculpting, and Roman and Italian history. Pasta-making participants can take their creations home, while sculptor Peter Rubino performs a live clay-sculpting demonstration choreographed to music. A selection of exotic Italian cars is also showcased.

Ciao Italia Matthews welcomes vendors, car show exhibitors, sponsors, volunteers, class attendees, and festival visitors. The event provides applications and information through its website and offers an email contact for questions and requests for its Form 990-PF.