PROMISES FAMILIAR FAVORITES: FOOD, MUSIC AND BOCCE
The Columbus Italian Festival at St. John the Baptist Italian Catholic Church is back this year, with a few tweaks but most of the familiar favorites.
Among the changes festival-goers can expect:
Rather than the usual marching band parade, the festival has switched to a drumline competition this year.
“With COVID, and so many students close together, we wanted to be diligent,” said Landa Masdea Brunetto, publicity chair for the festival.
The drumline competition will take place at 2 p.m. on Oct. 10 on one of the festival's two stages.
The children's area, which includes a balloon artist, also has swerved to avoid communal crayons and coloring pages.
“Everybody gets their own box of crayons and coloring book. The parents and children of the Gilberto family have been working together to create this darling coloring book, everything with an Italian twist,” Masdea Brunetto said.
Food offerings a mainstay
One thing that won’t be different is the food.
“I’ve been getting Facebook messages for the past year and half, saying, Are you going to do anything? Is there any way to get a pizza? Can I order a pizza?
We looked into it, but the pizza needs so many ovens, we couldn’t really do it,” Masdea Brunetto said.
But this weekend, pizza will be back — both round and Sicilian square — along with plenty of pasta and Italian pastries.
“We’re rocking the whole carryout, leave and take it home with you, we’re pushing that more than in past years,” Masdea Brunetto said.
Also on hand will be Corbo’s Bakery from Cleveland, which has been part of the festival for decades.
“I first went there with my mom 18 or 20 years ago,” said Selena Corbo, coowner of the bakery. “At first it was just me and my mom, or me and my mom and another friend, two or three girls tops. Now we’re at 12 employees that we have to bring, so it’s just evolved over the years.”
This year, Corbo’s will have two concession trailers as well as two setups under a tent.
One trailer will offer cannolis, cassata cake, cheesecake, Italian cookies and other fresh pastries.
“We fill the cannolis fresh as they’re ordered,” Corbo said. “Sometimes I have
to bring someone just to stand there filling cannolis all day.”
Another stand will offer specialty desserts including homemade gelato, almond tiramisu, creme brulee and chocolate mousse.
A food trailer will provide homemade ravioli, meatballs and eggplant rotallini, and then another spot will serve fresh calamari, veal Parmesan subs, french fries and funnel cakes.
The popular bocce tournament
The bocce tournament is an old favorite, with teams of four competing. Sign up goes on until noon Oct. 9. Games run from 12:30 to 9 p.m. on Oct. 9, with finals from 1 to 4 p.m. Oct. 10, and a 2person shootout at 3 p.m. Oct. 10.
“We’re always looking for women teams for that,” Masdea Brunetto said. “It’s always hard to get the women together for that. Come on, women!”
Those who can’t be persuaded might want to dance instead.
“We have Italian line dancing, that’s new this year,” she said. “It will be in the main tent, in between some of the large acts. That will get everybody up and moving.”
A variety of music can be found
Italian and Italian American music from traditional to contemporary will be represented. Louis Prima Jr. and the Witnesses, as well as tenor Elio Scaccio with the Rick Brunetto Big Band, and many others, will take to the main stage. The Street Players and Tae and the Wave , along with others, will appear on the contemporary stage.
The Street Players Band has appeared at the Festival multiple times over the past 10 years.
“There’s a diverse audience there, and that aligns with our music,” said John Pollock, who plays saxophone with the band. “It’s fun to play to a mixed audience, where there’s everybody from kids to people in their 80s. We play everything from big band numbers to Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett to Bruno Mars and Maroon 5.”
The seven-member band includes a three-piece horn section, a three-piece rhythm section and a guitar. All seven
members also sing.
“The combination of the rhythms and the horns allows us to play just about everything. The flexibility of the band musically is what separates us from other groups,” Pollock said.
Off-stage, visitors can enjoy cooking demonstrations, language lessons, Italian Trivial Pursuit or limoncello-making. Those who feel torn between football and festivals will be able to watch the Ohio State vs. Maryland football game on a big screen.
Volunteers are key players
Like most festivals, this one depends heavily on its volunteers.
“With the pandemic, we’ve had a lot of people who are a little concerned about volunteering. We’ve been lucky that the high schools have really come forward to help,” Masdea Brunetto said.
“I’d like to give a shoutout to Bishop Watterson, St. Francis Desales, Bishop Hartley and Cristo Rey, who have all really stepped forward. We’ve asked the students to wear their high school Tshirts. They will be helping from set up to tear-down, selling pasta and T-shirts and pop, and helping in the children’s area and in entertainment.”
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