The Italian American Heritage Festival of Iowa is now seeking vendors for the 2012 event, which is being held July 27 -28 on the Court Avenue Bridge in downtown Des Moines.
This year an Early Bird special discount is being offered for those vendors who apply for their booth by March 15th. Don’t miss out on this great opportunity!
More information can be found on this year’s application form, located on the Vendor page of this website.
Festival Chairman Darren Marasco and board member Jeff Caracci present donation to the board of directors at Gigi's Playhouse - Des Moines.
The Italian American Heritage Festival of Iowa happily donated a portion of the 2011 festival gate proceeds to GiGi’s Playhouse in Urbandale, Iowa. Festival chairman Darren Marasco and board member Jeff Caracci recently presented a check to the board of directors at Gigi’s Playhouse.
“You are helping GiGi’s Playhouses spread positive awareness about Down syndrome all across the nation!” stated Gigi’s Playhouse site coordinator Lauren Reeves. ”With your generosity, we are able to teach children with Down syndrome how to read, ensure therapeutic and educational goals are met, and provide tools for all individuals with Down syndrome reach their fullest potential!”
GiGi’s Playhouse is a Down syndrome awareness center whose vision is to see a world where individuals with Down syndrome are accepted and embraced in their families, schools, and communities. They seek to increase positive awareness of Down syndrome through national campaigns, educational programs, and by empowering individuals with Down syndrome, their families and the community.
GiGi’s Playhouse was founded in 2003 in Hoffman Estates, Illinois by Nancy Gianni. It is named after her daughter Giuliana “GiGi” who has Down syndrome, a chromosomal abnormality affecting more than 350,000 people in the United States.
Since then, eight other Gigi’s Playhouse locations have opened, including two in Iowa: Sioux City and Des Moines. The Des Moines location, at 10430 New York Avenue in Urbandale, opened in May of 2010 under the direction of site coordinator Lauren Pastore Reeves.
The Des Moines location currently serves over 250 families in central Iowa. All of their programs are offered at no charge to families, are therapeutic in nature, and range in age from prenatal diagnosis through adulthood. All children are welcome.
To learn more, donate or to volunteer, call (515) 252-7529 or visit them at their website or on Facebook.
To learn more about how the Italian American Heritage Festival of Iowa benefits the community in central Iowa, please visit our Community Page on this website.
Last year’s Italian American Heritage Festival of Iowa was a huge success! Thanks to all who attended, those who volunteered, and the committee members who worked their hearts out to make sure the festival would show the positive contributions of the Italian people in our great state. It was a wonderful way to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy!
Planning has already begun for the 2012 festival, which will be held on July 27 & 28, 2012 on the Court Avenue Bridge in downtown Des Moines.
Keep visiting this website to check on the progress of the 2012 Italian American Heritage Festival of Iowa.
Until then, enjoy these photos from the 2011 festival!
(Some photos courtesy of Carl Loffredo.)