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Seattle's 37th Annual Festa Italiana!

 

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Seattle's 37th Annual Festa Italiana!

 

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Seattle's 37th Annual Festa Italiana!

 

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Seattle's 37th Annual Festa Italiana!

 

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Seattle's 37th Annual Festa Italiana!

 

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Seattle's 37th Annual Festa Italiana!

 

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Seattle's 37th Annual Festa Italiana!

 

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Seattle's 37th Annual Festa Italiana!

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Thanks for a fabulous 36th Annual Italian Festival, everyone!
See you for the 37th on September 28th & 29th, 2024.

Presented by Festa Italiana and Greg Olson Productions

VIVA ITALIA! The Passion of Italian Cinema

Classic Italian film festival; a feast of cinematic splendor

SIFF Cinema Uptown Theater, in Seattle’s lower Queen Anne neighborhood, February 28th through April 24th 2024

See life as a human comedy, embrace beauty, feel deeply, pursue the sweet life with Italian gusto. Festa Italiana and Greg Olson Productions present a series of nine films that illuminate the golden age of 1960s-1970s Italian cinema, when traditional ways of thinking and behaving were challenged by liberated artistic, philosophical, political, social, and sexual ideas and norms.

Wednesday nights at 7:30 pm, February 28 – April 24 at the SIFF Cinema Uptown Theater in the heart of the lower Queen Anne restaurant district. Uptown concessions include wine, beer, coffees and teas. Find out more…

Tickets sold online, no refunds. Ticket fees apply.

Tickets may also be purchased on-site prior to each screening.

February 28: Divorce, Italian Style
March 6: The Organizer
March 13: La Notte (The Night)
March 20: Il Sorpasso (The Easy Life)
March 27: Rocco and His Brothers
April 3: Mamma Roma
April 10: The Conformist
April 17: Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion
April 24: La Grande Belezza (The Great Beauty)

2024 Italian Festival!

Welcome to Seattle’s 37th Annual Festa Italiana! Festa Italiana is an all-volunteer community organization that produces an annual series of events the last week of September, culminating in a FREE Italian Festival. Since 1988, we have been celebrating the cultural roots of Italians and Italian-Americans in the Pacific Northwest by promoting the arts, the food and the culture that are uniquely Italian.

This year, the Italian Festival will again be back at Seattle Center and we plan to be bigger than ever. So again, thanks to our sponsors, vendors, chefs and entertainers, and to our volunteers, and YOU, our beloved patrons and supporters!

Where and When

Seattle Center
305 Harrison Street
Seattle, WA 98109

Directions and transportation options can be found on our Locations page.

Saturday September 28, 2024 from 10AM to 9PM
Sunday September 29, 2024 from 10AM to 6PM
NOTE: The Italian Car Show will be Saturday only, and the Italian Dog Show will be Sunday only.

Some Highlights from last year (2023)

Anthony “Nino” Lane Band

Our Headliner this year will see the return of a rockin’ 6-piece from Salinas, CA called the Anthony “Nino” Lane Band, covering all your Italian favorites through the decades with an emphasis on danceability! Their lineup features two native Italian singers, two Latino & Latina vocalists, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, saxophone and violin! They will be doing three shows for us over the weekend so watch for those, especially on Saturday evening, the night of the “All-Star Italian Jam.”

Seattle Opera

In a Festa “first,” this year, we are partnering with Seattle Opera to provide free guided tours of McCaw Hall from 1 to 4 PM on Saturday, September 23rd following a recital in the Fisher Pavilion featuring Seattle Opera Resident Artists Camille Ortiz and Michael J. Hawk. The concert starts at 12 noon, admission is free but seating may be limited.

Accordion Frenzy

Also new this year, 3-Time World Champion Accordionist Cory Pesaturo will be rockin’ the Beer & Wine Garden each day at 4 PM. Holder of the record in the Guinness World Book of Records for the longest time performing on the accordion – 38 hours! And don’t miss him in the Festa ALL-STAR Dance & Show, Saturday night at 7 PM.

Wait, There’s More!

Special Added Attraction: the first Festa Seattle appearance of hometown expat favorites, The Space Noodles, playing pop and rock from Italy in the 1990’s to the present day, Saturday 4 PM only.

La Cucina Galbani® Cooking Stage

Over the years we have had Live Cooking Demos from chefs representing such local restaurants as: Café JuanitaTulioil FornaioIl Terrazzo CarmineCafé BengodiSerefinaAssaggio, etc. Some of their recipes can be found in our online Recipe Collection. At the same time, we have featured such national culinary luminaries as Mario Batali, Giuliano Bugali, Anne Burrell, Biba Caggiano, Michael Chiarello, Rocco DiSpirito, Mary Ann Esposito, Christina Pirello, Rosella Rago and Nick Stellino. During 2020 we solicited “virtual” cooking demos, from local chefs and celebrities alike, for you to enjoy at home as you cook along! Just visit the Great Italian Chef Page to see demos from local chefs such as Brad Inserra and Frank Isernio to national stars like Rossella Rago.

This year we’ve lined up some great chefs for you to watch in person on the rooftop terrace of Fisher Pavilion. A chef will take the stage every hour throughout the weekend from 11:00am – 5:00pm.

Rossella Rago

Festa Grape Stomp

Jump in with both feet and make wine as they used to in the Old Country. Put together a three-person team and compete for great prizes with a free T-shirt given to each competitor. Just don’t sit in the front row!

Festa Bocce Tournament

Moving back to the main floor of the Armory, this Italian version of lawn bowling is one of our most popular events. Featuring a Masters division for professionals and a Recreational division for occasional players, the bocce tournament is fascinating to watch.

Tino’s Cortile

Featuring many of our traditional children’s activities plus the “All Breeds” Italian Dog Show. And it’s all free.

From left, Bosco the Lagotto Romagnolo and his pals Romeo the Italian Greyhound, and Cece the Cirneco dell’ Etna all can’t wait to see you!
(Photo by Sarah Evans).

Exhibits

An Italian Car and Vehicle Show, Art Show, and the Historic Photo Exhibit about Seattle’s earliest Italians, plus booths of Italian organizations, arts and crafts, imported housewares, and lots of merchandise and souvenirs.

Food & Wine

Pizza, Pasta, Italian Sausage, Salami, Meatballs, Focaccia, Gelato, Birra, Vino, Prosecco, Limoncello, Cannoli, Espresso, Italian Sodas, and three Wine & Beer Gardens!

Downloadable 2023 Festa Poster

To help get into the spirit of Festa, feel free to download and print out a PDF of this year’s poster!

Le Arti della Festa Italiana

Le Arti della Festa Italiana will be displaying creative work inspired by Italy. Take a look at our Art & Photography page.

The Virtual Italian Festival of 2020

For 2020, due to restrictions placed on large public events, we went 100% virtual! Please take a look at the videos below. We hope to see you in person at this year’s live event.

PART 1

List of Artists in Order of Appearance

Fortissimo!, Danny Quintero, Julie Cascioppo, Tony La Stella, Seattle Mandolin Orchestra, The Primo Basso Band, Rob Porcaro, Mary Marchese – That’s Amore, La Mezzanotte Trio (Slideshow), Dennis from Dennis & the Jets, La MezzaNotte Trio, The Rigatones, Tony La Stella & The Goombas.

Special thanks to Seattle Center and our amazing sponsors!

PART 2

List of Artists in Order of Appearance

The Rigatones, Danny Quintero, Mary Marchese, Fortissimo! The Tarantellas, Rob Porcaro, The Primo Basso Band, La Mezzanotte Trio (Slideshow), Mbrascatu, Tony La Stella & The Goombas, Fortissimo!, Julie Cascioppo, The Primo Basso Band, Fortissimo!

Special thanks to Seattle Center and our amazing sponsors!

Get Involved

Festa Italiana is a community driven event, so if you’re interested in getting involved we have several ways in which you could help: