Walk into Seattle’s Casa Italiana on any weekend and you’ll likely find the Italian Cultural Center abuzz with Italians, Italian-Americans, and those who simply love Italian culture. From the large first-floor hall come excited cries of “Scopa!” A beginner Italian-language lesson is just wrapping up, visitors are checking out the made-in-Italy items for sale in the shop, and the lunch crowd is jockeying for tables at Casa Caffé.  

 Everywhere there are welcoming voices — in Italian and English — as patrons choose from an ever-changing slate of activities and events, meetings and get-togethers. This warm and friendly vibe is exactly what Seattle’s Italian community hoped to achieve years ago when the dream of a permanent Italian cultural center first surfaced. Although the road has been long and funding remains a challenge, as its fourth anniversary nears, it’s clear that Casa Italiana has far exceeded expectations.