Your expert guide to Italian Day on The Drive, from one of the street's top restaurateurs | Daily Hive

Claire and her son Quincy (Kyle Howe and Eva McMillan)

This article was written for Dished by Claire Livia Lassam, co-owner and pastry chef at LIVIA Forno e Vino (1399 Commercial Drive).

Italian Day is bonkers if you live on The Drive, as I do. It’s also one of my absolute favourite days of the year. It’s the biggest and busiest street festival in Vancouver, with 14 blocks closed down for the party.

Last year, roughly 400,000 people came to eat sardines, drink negronis, and listen to opera. Or eat pizza, drink beer, and listen to DJs. Or eat trapizzini, drink lambrusco, and listen to Italian pop music.

What I’m saying is, people show up, and all the options are pretty great. Here are a few tips for how to optimize your experience at Italian Day on The Drive this year.

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Prepare for heat

Kyle Howe and Eva McMillan

First things first, dress for the heat. In the 15 years of Italian Days, I only remember one time when it rained. It’s almost always the hottest day of the year so far, and this year we’re forecast for 28C. Sunscreen, hats, linen shirts, and minimum makeup are key to the game.

Don’t drive

Y’all, parking on Commercial is never easy, but it’s an actual nightmare on Italian Day. Whatever you do, don’t drive! Italian Day is the day for public transit, for EVOs, for Ubers, or for taxis. Either take the Skytrain from Broadway, or bus up Hastings and start on the other side. I’m not joking. Don’t drive.

Blankets are a great idea

Kyle Howe and Eva McMillan

As much as I LOVE Italian Day, and I do, it can be a bit overwhelming, especially if you’re planning on spending the whole day here. The trick is that there are lots of parks just a block or two off The Drive, where you can spread out, eat some of the great things you’ve grabbed along the way, and get a wee break from it all. Victoria Park, McSpadden Park, and Woodland Park are all excellent options to tuck away and take a minute before you go back into the chaos.

Bring a water bottle

Many years ago, I went to a Pride Parade and ended up with sunstroke, barely able to move off the floor of my cold, tiled kitchen for a day. Please, learn from my mistakes, and stay hydrated. There are multiple spots to refill, including in Grandview Park and one in front of Paris Bakery at Kitchener St. Staying hydrated is crucial for your long-term success.

Commit to a couple of lineups

Kyle Howe and Eva McMillan

No one likes to wait in line, I get it. But some things are worth waiting for, and if you’re strategic, it’s not so bad. I ALWAYS wait in line for the grilled sardines at the Portuguese Club of Vancouver, they’re one of my favourite things every year. The line is always massive, but I’m so jazzed when I get them, it doesn’t matter. The lineup for Livia Trapizzino is also usually busy, but I do think it’s a great product, and I’m filled with pride when I see people waiting to get one. You’ll never regret waiting a bit for a Pepino’s meatball, either.

Find a patio

Kyle Howe and Eva McMillan

The BCL on The Drive on Italian Day is true, true chaos. If you’re wanting a drink, and I do think Italian Day is better with a wee buzz, your best bet is to sit on the patio of a restaurant, or one of the set-up beer or negroni gardens. I love the patio at Bar Corso and Kulinarya, and there will be beer gardens set up around the street as well. At Livia, we’ll have a negroni garden on our side patio, and we’ll be selling To-Gronis. Though I would never recommend you drink in the street, I also can’t help what you do once you’ve got a bottle of Negroni in your hand.

And that’s it! You’re ready! It’s going to be a laugh, I promise. See you there!

Italian Day 2025

When: Sunday, June 8, 2025
Time: Noon to 8 p.m.
Where: Commercial Drive (Venables Street to Grandview Highway), Vancouver
Cost: Free

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