It was a fine day at the Italian Center as the second annual Italian Automotive Festival saw a record crowd of people attend. There was a mountain of pasta washed down with Italian beer and lots of wine flowing. 

The theme of this years Show was "MADE IN ITALY" featuring Classic Italian cars and a fleet of Vespa Motor Scooters and Ducati Motorcycles, paraded in bright colors in the Centers parking lot, which brought together hundreds of fans to the event. 

In the words of the event organizer, Vincenzo Cerruti, "We love to bring Italian culture to Sacramento. Italian automobiles, music, dancing and great food: it all goes together like peanut butter and jelly. Or perhaps I should say spaghetti and meatballs. It is a perfect blend of Italy's proudest products." 

Not to be outshone by the colorful cars and cycles, the Society's two Italian Folk dance troupes performed among the Italian motorcycles in their regional costumes, each costume representing the ancestral region of Italy of each dancer. 

Both the children's dance troupe / Bambini, now numbering 30 dancers, and the adult dance troupe Balliamo, are open to new dancers. The Society is also training its teen dance troupe for the future. 

You can see both folk dance troupes in performance on June 8 at the Lodi Italian Festival and on June 17 at the San Francisco Giants Italian Night game in the City. 

Learn about events and programs at www.italiancenter.net. Or contact by email at italyl@surewest.net 

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE BAMBINI DANCERS PERFORM AT THE SF GIANTS