Kelowna Canadian Italian Club

Kelowna Canadian Italian Club Benvenuti! The Club is the social and cultural centre of the Italian community in Kelowna.

check our website for the dates on our events and our 4 course monthly dinner dates

Sports was an early way Italians integrated with others in the community. For example, there was a strong familial relat...
06/10/2026

Sports was an early way Italians integrated with others in the community. For example, there was a strong familial relationship between the Italian and Japanese families who were sharecropping on Kelowna farms. Included on this team were three brothers: Dominico, Camillo and Peter Lanfranco. Many of the Italian and Japanese families remained friends for life. Learn more about the history of the Italian community, join us June 25th for the debut of an original documentary, Su Terra Familiare. Tickets available both for the showing only and the showing plus reception celebrating KCIC's 60th Anniversary. Full details available on our website: https://www.kelownaitalianclub.com/legacyhome.html
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Helene Lanfranco Photo Collection. About 1930.

The Kelowna Canadian Italian Club had an enviable streak of making some exceptionally creative floats for Regatta and Ma...
06/09/2026

The Kelowna Canadian Italian Club had an enviable streak of making some exceptionally creative floats for Regatta and May Day parades. This one also featured many of our dancing and performing troupe. Look carefully, you might see someone you recognize! Share more memories of our 60th Anniversary Celebration with us on June 25th. We'll start at 5:30 pm with the documentary Su Terra Familiare at the Mary Irwin Theatre and then have a dinner celebration to follow at the Laurel Packinghouse. Details and a link to tickets are available on our website - https://www.kelownaitalianclub.com/legacyhome.html

06/08/2026

A message from Mary Bazzana, President Kelowna Canadian Italian Club.

Throughout the 1930's, pride in Italian heritage blossomed throughout the world, including in Kelowna. This picture is o...
06/08/2026

Throughout the 1930's, pride in Italian heritage blossomed throughout the world, including in Kelowna. This picture is of Kelowna's Italian performers, taken at Memorial Arena in 1940. Just a few months after this, Mussolini would declare war on Great Britain (and Canada) and the Italian community would go into hiding. Learn more about this dark yet intriguing chapter of local Italian history in our documentary, Su Terra Familiare, on June 25th in Mary Irwin Theatre, with a reception to follow at the Laurel Packinghouse. Only 30 tickets left for the dinner and reception, or email us for showing only tickets. Full details on our website: https://www.kelownaitalianclub.com/legacyhome.html

The years immediately following World War II were a challenging time for Kelowna's Italians. They were balancing their p...
06/07/2026

The years immediately following World War II were a challenging time for Kelowna's Italians. They were balancing their pride in their own heritage with the memory of officially being designated as enemy aliens just a few years before. But in 1949, they proudly took the stage of the newly finished Kelowna Memorial Arena to celebrate the fourth anniversary of the United Nations. The event featured several Kelowna ethnic groups including these Italian singers and dancers, depicting a street cafe scene in front of Rome’s Coliseum. One of the soloists listed in the 1949 program was Rodolfo (Ralph) Guidi. Learn more about this fascinating chapter in Kelowna's Italian story on June 25th as we debut the new documentary - Su Terra Familiare - at Mary Irwin Theatre. Tickets available for the documentary plus dinner reception to follow at the Laurel Packinghouse. Full details are available on our website: https://www.kelownaitalianclub.com/legacyhome.html.

Italian hospitality belongs with food - and vice versa. This winning combination could be found in most Italian casas an...
06/06/2026

Italian hospitality belongs with food - and vice versa. This winning combination could be found in most Italian casas and cucinas, but for the people who were lucky enough to live in Lake Country, it could always be found in Al's Cafe. Albert and Ida Vecchio welcomed their community both with open arms and a big plate of spaghetti and meatballs (or hamburgers and fries if Al was manning the grill). Learn more about this very special couple as just part of an extraordinary story of Italians in Su Terra Familiare - debuting on June 25th at Mary Irwin Theatre. Tickets available for the film showing and dinner reception to follow are available. Find out more on our website: https://www.kelownaitalianclub.com/legacyhome.html

In most other locations in Canada, the first Italians came to work in mines, on railways or other industrial jobs. That ...
06/05/2026

In most other locations in Canada, the first Italians came to work in mines, on railways or other industrial jobs. That wasn't true here in Kelowna. Here, the first Italians were farmers and secured land in the Mission area. That's why many of the roads there are named after these pioneering families. This shot is from the Quirico farm, which was right across from the present day Casorso Road Elementary. Learn more about the long legacy of Italian agriculture in the Central Okanagan in our original documentary - Su Terra Familiare - on June 25th at Mary Irwin Theatre. It's part of our celebration of Italian Heritage Month this June. Tickets available for the showing plus dinner reception at the Laurel Packinghouse. Join us to celebrate this remarkable Italian legacy! Full details available on our website: https://www.kelownaitalianclub.com/legacyhome.html

Did you know that these silver tea services have a fascinating story behind them? They were awarded on the celebration o...
06/04/2026

Did you know that these silver tea services have a fascinating story behind them? They were awarded on the celebration of 25th wedding anniversaries to several Italian couples (this was given to Silvio and Rosa Vaccaro) in the years after World War II. Find out more about this fascinating historical tidbit in our new documentary - Su Terra Familiare - on June 25th at the Mary Irwin Theatre. Make it an evening and join us for a dinner reception afterwards! It will be a night to remember - in more ways than one! Hurry - we only have 50 Film + Reception tickets left! Full details on our website: https://www.kelownaitalianclub.com/legacyhome.html

Did you know that the Kelowna Canadian Italian Club was one of the six original groups at the very first Kelowna Folkfes...
06/03/2026

Did you know that the Kelowna Canadian Italian Club was one of the six original groups at the very first Kelowna Folkfest, in 1974? The club has always been proud to share our heritage and we continue to share this June, which is officially Italian Heritage Month here in Kelowna. Want to know more about our Club and Italian heritage in Kelowna? Then join us June 25th for the debut of our documentary film, Su Terra Familiare - at Mary Irwin Theatre. You can either attend the matinee (doors open at 2 pm) or celebrate that evening with the documentary and a celebratory reception to follow at the Laurel Packinghouse. Full details available on our website - https://www.kelownaitalianclub.com/legacyhome.html
Kelowna Folkfest

06/02/2026

On June 2nd, Italy celebrates the 80th anniversary of the Italian Republic — a historic milestone that honors the values of freedom, democracy, unity, and progress. 🇮🇹✨

Today, we proudly celebrate Italy’s rich heritage, culture, and the strong Italian community in Canada and around the world.

Happy 80th Republic Day to all Italians and friends of Italy. Buona Festa della Repubblica!

Address

770 Lawrence Avenue
Kelowna, BC
V1Y6L9

Telephone

(250) 762-0900

Website

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