Verrazzano celebration planned in Rehoboth April 15-17, 2011
Rehoboth Beach officials have begun a fundraising effort to bring officials from Greve In Chianti, Italy, to “The Nation’s Summer Capital” to celebrate the first anniversary of the two cities’ sister cities agreement.
Rehoboth is planning a celebration of Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano, a Greve native, who explored the coast of Delaware during his 1521 voyage to America.
Scheduled April 15-17, the event will honor both the one-year anniversary of the sister cities agreement and Verrazzano’s birthday, April 17.
In October 2008, Rehoboth unveiled a monument on Olive Avenue at the Boardwalk celebrating Verrazzano’s voyage. In April, Commissioner Pat Coluzzi led a delegation to Greve to sign the sister-cities agreement with Greve Mayor Alberto Bencista.
Mary Jane Deets, secretary of the Rehoboth Beach Sister Cities Association board, said, “Our initial focus is getting them over here and introducing them to Rehoboth.”
In the future, Deets said two cities plan chef exchanges, student exchanges and an art exchange. Besides cultural exchange, the sister-cities agreement also promotes tourism between the two cities. Greve In Chianti is in the Tuscan hills outside of Florence.
Planned activities for the visitors include a boat tour retracing Verrazzano’s voyage, a special exhibit and reception at the Rehoboth Art League and a special luncheon atop the Henlopen Hotel.
To bring the delegation over, Rehoboth Beach Sister Cities will start by selling Frantoio Pruneti extra virgin olive oil, made in Greve, at Rehoboth Beach Farmers Market every Tuesday until the market closes on Oct. 12. Bottles of the olive oil are being sold for $25.
The association is offering membership in its “Cento Club,” which grants VIP access to events during the celebration. The club has two levels of participation: “Argento,” which costs $100 and includes access to a Dogfish Head tour, tasting and luncheon, the Rehoboth Art League luncheon and the ceremony at the Verrazzano monument, and “Oro,” which costs $250 and includes the boat tour and the luncheon at the Henlopen Hotel.
Coluzzi said there would also be an “Iron Chef” battle Oct. 30 between chefs at Italian restaurants Lupo di Mare and Espuma.
Espuma is also teaming up with Castello Verrazzano winemakers to come up with a two-course meal paired with a glass of Castello Verrazzano Chianti Classico for $35.
Deets said, “We’re just getting started. They showed us a very nice time. They treated us royally, and we want to make sure they’re taken care of.”
For more information, visit rehobothsistercities.org
Ryan Mavity covers Milton and the court system. He is married to Rachel Swick Mavity and has two kids, Alex and Jane. Ryan started with the Cape Gazette all the way back in February 2007, previously covering the City of Rehoboth Beach. A native of Easton, Md. and graduate of Towson University, Ryan enjoys watching the Baltimore Ravens, Washington Capitals and Baltimore Orioles in his spare time.
