Count on cannoli, Campari and more at Festa Italiana
Did someone say cannoli? Or was it Campari? Either way, Festa Italiana is ready to roll out sweet and savory treats and all sorts of adult beverages when it returns Friday through Sunday at Maier Festival Park at the lakefront.
It wouldn’t be Festa without the cannoli-eating contest (3 p.m. Saturday) and the children’s pizzamaking contest (3 p.m. Sunday for ages 3 to 9, 3:30 p.m. for ages 9 to 17) at the Cucina Showcase.
And there are chef demonstrations at the Cucina Showcase, too, starting at 12:30 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday. The demonstrations at 1:30 and 4:15 p.m. Saturday by chefs from Bartolotta Restaurants will be tributes to Joe Bartolotta, the restaurant group co-founder and Italian Community Center supporter who died in April.
New food vendors at the festival, which is in its 42nd year, are Milk Bottle Bakery, opening in the 3rd Street Market Hall this year, with items such as whole and half muffaletta sandwiches ($16 and $8) and chocolate-hazelnut parfaits ($5); Pizano’s Pizza and Pasta, selling deep-dish pizza by the slice ($5 and $6); and Angelo Caputo’s Fresh Market, with items such as stuffed zucchini blossoms ($7).
As for beverages, the festival’s official beer this year is Peroni on draft, and the official drink is the Aperol Spritz, served at the new Campari Club, which will also have a DJ and dancing. Corvina Wine Co. of West Allis will have a wine bar at Festa, and spirits and other cocktails will be sold, as well.
Tickets for admission to Festa are $10 through Thursday online at
festaitaliana.com/tickets; they’ll be $13 at the gate. Children 12 and younger are admitted free for the entire festival.
Hours are 3 p.m. to midnight Friday, noon to midnight Saturday and noon to 11 p.m. Sunday.
Contact Carol at carol.deptolla @jrn.com or (414) 224-2841, or through the Journal Sentinel Food & Home page on Facebook. Follow her on Twitter at @mkediner or Instagram at @mke_diner.