On September 29th and 30th, Richmond's 17th Street Market will be magically transformed into an authentic Italian village for this year’s 8th Annual Italian Festival. Get ready for the sights, sounds and aromas of the Italian countryside – and a chance to experience what Italians call “la dolce vita”, the sweet life.

The Original Richmond Italian Street Festival is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization whose mission is to promote the Italian culture and heritage through the venue of a festival that generates revenues to be distributed to selected local charities. The festival will benefit Slow Food RVa whose mission is to reconnect Greater Richmond area residents with the people, traditions, plants, animals, fertile soils and waters that produce our regional food, thus promoting sustainability and preserving biodiversity. The Slow Food movement was founded in norther Italy by Carlo Petrini in 1986. The festival will also benefit the Italian Studies Pro-gram at VCU by providing financial assistance to students who are studying our Italian culture and heritage. Please visit their websites at www.SlowFoodRVa.org and www.HAS.VCU.EDU/WLD/Academics/Minors/Italian