Circus for kids at food festival

AN Italian food festival is bringing plenty of children’s activities to Manchester this summer – including a circus house.

Festa Italiana takes place in Manchester’s Cathedral Gardens on the weekend of July 14 and 15.

The festival’s partnership with Play Factore – based near the Trafford Centre – will see them taking over the Festa marquee, where kids will be able to enjoy plate-spinning and hulahoop workshops, trapeze artistry and juggling.

There’ll also be traditional Italian foodie fun at the Festa, with the ‘bambini cucina’ sessions – cookery classes for the little ones. This will include a kids’ pasta masterclass with Carmela Sereno Hayes of Carmela’s Kitchen.

With roots in Southern Italy, Carmela will share her passion for Italian food inspired by homecooked family dinners.

Her kids’ pasta masterclasses will be popping up in the Festa marquee and she will be teaching kids how to make pasta dough in a variety of shapes. She’ll also be running a grown-ups’ class on the Saturday.

Italian-inspired facepainting and live music will add to the fun.

There’ll be plenty of food and drink to choose from for little ones across the Festa site too

All activities are free to take part in.

The Play Factore Circus House will be open from 3-5pm on Friday, July 13, and from 11am5pm on Saturday and Sunday, July 14 and 15.

Carmela’s Kitchen Kids Pasta Masterclasses are taking place on Sunday, July 15, from noon.

Sessions will run throughout the day and are free to attend. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

See www.festaitalianauk.com