Watch Little Italy Turn Into a Chalk Canvas at Bella Vita Fest
For one weekend in October, the pavement in Little Italy becomes the main attraction. Galbani Bella Vita Fest returns for a fourth year with chalk art, Italian wine, cooking demos, and live music filling the neighborhood.
Admission is free, it is open to all ages, and it runs both Saturday and Sunday. Wine is the only thing you need a ticket for.
More Than 40 Chalk Paintings, Drawn Right in Front of You
More than 40 chalk artists will line the streets with Italian-themed work, building their paintings over the course of the weekend. Show up early and you will catch the outlines. Come back Sunday and you will see them finished.
The tradition goes back to 16th century Italy, where traveling artists brought into the cities to work on the cathedrals would recreate paintings of the Madonna on the pavement once the job was done. They became known as Madonnari, and street painting festivals around the world still carry it forward.
Ten Italian Regions in the Giardino del Vino
Italian winemakers pour tastings through Vicolo del Vino, and the Giardino del Vino lines up more than ten wines sourced from different regions across Italy. Five tastes run $25 and 12 tastes run $55.
Buy wine tickets in advance through ArtWalk San Diego rather than sorting it out on the day.
Chef Marco Works the La Cucina Galbani Cooking Stage
Chef Marco hosts the La Cucina Galbani Cooking Stage with classes and demos across both days, joined by local chefs throughout the weekend.
He opened his first Italian restaurant in Buffalo in 1988, has been cooking family-style Italian for more than 38 years, and goes by the Sangwich King back home thanks to Marco’s Italian Deli.
Bring the Whole Famiglia, it Costs Nothing to Walk in
Italian merchants set up along the streets, live Italian music plays both days, and Italian food is there to buy on site. The festival comes from the ArtWalk San Diego team, the same people behind Mission Fed ArtWalk, ArtWalk Liberty Station, and ArtWalk Carlsbad.
Saturday runs an hour later than Sunday, so if you want the most time with the artists at work, make it the Saturday.
See you there!
Two days, more than 40 chalk paintings, and enough Italian wine to make a Saturday in Little Italy run longer than you planned.
📆 Saturday, October 17, 11 AM – 6 PM | Sunday, October 18, 11 AM – 5 PM
📍 550 W. Date Street, San Diego
🎟️ Free to attend | Wine Tasting tickets here
ℹ️ Get more details here
See you there, San Diego!
