Inaugural Italian festival to benefit Catholic Community Services

Friday, Sep. 11, 2015

SALT LAKE CITY — The Italian-American Civic League and Salt Lake Italian Club will host Festa Italiana Salt Lake City in the downtown area Sept. 19-20.

The festival, in its first year, will focus on Italian food and culture.

Festa Italiana Salt Lake City is a non-profit Italian festival and “a portion of the proceeds will be donated this year to Catholic Community Services,” said Nick Fuoco, festival director and Italian-American Civic League secretary. “The Italian-American Civic League charter is designed to give back to the community and to provide resources to organizations that are important to our mission. Catholic Community Services helps us meet our goals by providing services to those in need and to immigrants. Among the first people to come to Utah were Italian immigrants.”

The Italian-American Civic League also wanted to bring something to the city to promote the Italian culture by providing an avenue for people to experience the food and music of Italy, Fuoco said. 

During the two-day festival, highlights will include live Italian entertainment, food booths from different restaurants from the city providing the traditional regions of Italian cuisine, an Italian beer and wine garden, arts and crafts, historical displays, a bocce ball tournament for beginners to experienced players, live raffles and exotic Italian cars. 

The live entertainment will include Ricci Martin performing the songs of his father, actor and singer Dean Martin, on Sept. 20; other entertainment includes The Joe Muscolino Band and Italian opera performances. 

The Salt Lake Italian Club also was established to promote the Italian culture and traditions in the Salt Lake community through education, lectures and social activities. “It is run basically by University of Utah professors and language students,” said Giuliana Marple, director, who is from Torino, Italy. “We are helping at the festival by providing volunteers and artists; we are offering whatever help we can. The festival will be a place where people can get a good sense of Italy.” 

WHAT: Festa Italiana SLC

WHERE: 400 West 300 South (across from Pioneer Park)

WHEN: Sept. 19, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sept. 20,11 a.m.-7 p.m. 

Admission is free. 

For information, visit http://www.festaitalianaslc.com.