About us
Welcome to San Luis Obispo (SLO) County Friends of Italy!
We love, embrace, and engage in all aspects of Italian culture. Yes, we have a ❤️ for all things Italian! Whether you're a native Italian, Italian Swiss, an Italophile, or simply curious about Italy, this is the perfect place to meet new people and create friendships based on our shared passions. 🤝
Join us as we gather to savor Italian cuisine 🍝 in local restaurants, take cooking classes 🍳, and enjoy progressive dinners 🍷; practice the Italian language, explore Italian films 🎥 and music 🎶, celebrate cultural traditions 🎉, and organize travel events ✈️ to Italy and the Italian-speaking region of Switzerland, including the stunning Canton of Ticino.
Photo by Gabriella Clare Marino on Unsplash
Upcoming events
9
Emerson Park’s Future = Bocce’s Future — Speak Up Feb 4
SLO City Council Chambers, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, CA, USThis is the moment to show up. The future of Emerson Park is about to be finalized — and SLO Parks & Recreation wants community input before locking in the design. Bocce players, friends, neighbors… we use this park. Let’s have a say in what happens next.
📍 Public Meeting Details
🗓️ Wednesday, February 4, 2026
🕠 5:30 PM
🏛️ Council Chambers – SLO City Hall (990 Palm Street)
🖥️ Can’t make it in person? You can also send input to: advisorybodies@slocity.org### 🌱Why This Matters:
We use Emerson Park every Wednesday for our Bocce & Friends social meetups…
We gather here every Saturday for the Winter of the Pallino league…
We host league games, practice, meetups, and connection — and we’re growing.The courts matter.
How they’re built, surfaced, and maintained matters.
Access during spring and summer matters.We’ve shared our thoughts in a recent stakeholder letter and photo update to Parks & Rec leadership. You can view both here:
📄 Letter to Parks & Rec – Jan 2026 (PDF)
📸 Winter of the Pallino – Photo Update### 🎯 What You Can Do:
- Clear your schedule. Yes, parking downtown is annoying — but this is worth it.
- Come listen, show presence, and speak if moved.
- Join me afterward for optional drinks/dinner nearby — we’ll celebrate this milestone together and discuss next steps.
***
RSVP here so I know who’s coming — and wear your bocce smile! Let’s show up as a team.
8 attendees
Winter Games - Two Cauldrons & An Italian Feast — Opening Ceremony Watch Party
San Luis Obispo, 857 Monterey Street, CA, US🎿 Come join us for an Olympic Opening Ceremony Watch Party to kick off the Winter Olympic Games Milano-Cortina 2026! 🇮🇹🎉
We’ll be streaming the Opening Ceremonies live from Milan’s San Siro Stadium — where history will be made with two Olympic cauldrons ablaze (one in Milan and one in Cortina!). (Olympics)🍝 Potluck Lunch & Beverages:
Please bring an Italian-inspired dish or winter comfort food to share — antipasti, pasta, focaccia, polenta, tiramisù, arancini, and more!
(We’ll coordinate specific dishes once you RSVP.)
🥂 Fun & Community Vibe:
• Olympic atmosphere — cheering, connections, laughs
• Optional Olympic trivia & games
🇮🇹 Athlete Spotlight Activity:
We’ll share fun profiles of both Italian athletes (like star skiers, snowboarders, and Olympians representing the host nation) and U.S. contenders — from snowboarding champs to figure skating medal hopefuls — and invite guests to pick a favorite athlete or country to follow during the Games!Let’s celebrate sport, friendship, and Italian culture with great food, great people, and Olympic spirit! 🥇
15 attendees
Past events
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