MILWAUKEE — Festa Italiana kicked off day one in a brand-new space. The Italian festival hosted the annual event in the Italian Community Center for the first time in its 43-year history after a two year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The event may have had a new venue, but visitors on Saturday say the event is keeping all the Italian traditions that the community knows and loves alive.
Mark Desanctis is a director for the Italian Dance club and has been attending the fest with his family for the past three decades.
“We just know everybody from growing up here and it’s really a wonderful thing to come here and enjoy the festivities and the food and the people. It’s just a wonderful event.”
The best part of the event for many? The food. There were all kinds of traditional Italian dishes like pizza, Italian rice balls, tiramisu, cannolis and more.
The menu there was just one way the Italian community sought to share their roots with the rest of the city; traditional Italian dancers took the stage and bocce ball courts lined the grass at the center.
“It’s a lot about family, a lot about traditions,” said Desanctis. “We have family that are back at home in Italy and this just helps us to keep alive the traditions of our ancestors.”
The fest will continue until Sunday night at 7 p.m.
