Family Festa is back in San Jose
The Italian Family Festa, now in its 41st year, returns to History Park in San Jose Saturday and with live entertainment, culinary demos, arts and crafts vendors, food and wine booths, a new Italia Cultural and Culinary Pavilion and — of course — grape stomping.
Highlights will include a “living history” re-enactment of a Roman encampment and demos of Italian swordsmanship both days; grape stomping contests Saturday; and shows by the Fratello Marionettes and Satvik the Magician. The pavilion stage will host pizza tossing and recipe demos and talks on Italian heritage. Among the musical performers set to appear are Opera San Jose singers, John DeMers (aka the Bay Area Sinatra), Mike Annuzzi and Michela Musolino.
Food is always a headliner at this event. Look for the Tricarico Club's polenta with sausage and the Sons of Sicily's ravioli and sausage. Tony and Alba's will sell slices of pizza; and members of the sponsoring Italian American Heritage Foundation will make meatball sandwiches and fill cannoli to order. Aroma Concessions will offer portobello mushroom sandwiches, eggplant pesto sandwiches, fried artichokes and fried zucchini. New this year: The Cousins Maine Lobster food truck. And someone's sure to be frying sfingi, the popular Italian doughnuts.
Five wineries will be pouring varietals in the shaded Wine Tasting Garden — Armitage, Bargetto, Fortino, Guglielmo and Rosa d'Oro.
Details: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, with an evening street dance, 11a.m. to 6p.m. Sunday, with an Anthony Nino Band finale; History Park, 1650Senter Road; limited parking, carpooling and ride-sharing encouraged; free admission; www.italianfamilyfestasj.org.