Client: Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans (JCCIA)

Event: Fiera Italiana, October 5 – 9, 2009

Event Overview:

McGowan Durpetti & Associates was contracted to assist the JCCIA of Chicago in producing the 2009 Fiera Italiana festival. The non-profit organization functions as a voice and a business council for the Chicago-area Italian American community. The JCCIA, also renown as the sponsor of the annual city-wide Columbus Day Parade, wanted to create a week-long Italian market style festival in the heart of Chicago to celebrate Italian American heritage and culture while building excitement for the Columbus Day Parade to follow. The team at MD&A secured Daley Plaza to host nearly twenty market place vendors. Visitors could shop for jewelry, clothing, and other gifts, visit educational booths on Italian heritage, and, most popularly, taste a variety of Italian food from local restaurants. Each day during the lunch hour locals, tourists, and area business employees enjoyed entertainment such as a fashion show, a speaking program honoring Italian American heritage on the opening day, and live music. The event proved highly successful in helping the JCCIA fundraise for their programs, and received prominent media features on Chicago ABC 7 News and The Redeye, amongst others.

Services:

McGowan Durpetti & Associates managed full production of Fiera Italiana. Services provided for the Fiera Italiana festival included venue and vendor contracting, sponsorship procurement, budget development, timeline management, advance logistics, site plan layout, ensuring regulations compliance, and on-site production staffing. Fiera Italiana’s success has inspired the client to have MD&A produce the festival as an annual event in the future.