Villagi di festa italiana!
Explore the Villages / Villaggi of Festa Italiana!
Festa Italiana Food Village
A Taste of Italy!
Feel like you are taking a stroll through Little Italy with the scents of sausage-and-pepper sandos and fried dough. Visit one of our many authentic vendors and enjoy Italia in the form of crispy cannoli and cold gelato!
Current Food Vendors include:
Society of Saint Vincent de Paul
Italian American Heritage Society of Birmingham
Tre Luna Bar & Kitchen
Uncle G's Pizza
Da Big Italian
Pazzo Big Slice
D&M Snow Cones of Alabama
Vecchia Pizzeria & Mercato
Graffeo Brothers Sausage
Cafe Iz, LLC
Carrabbas Italian Grill
Arnone's Italian Sausage
Slice Pizza & Brew
Luca
More to Come!
Festa Italiana Villaggio Culturale
Experience Italy!
Villaggio Cuturale, Presented by the Tortorigi & Traina Family is a meticulously crafted replica of a quaint Italian village nestled under twinkling lights and adorned with beautiful Italian imagery and a grand fountain at the heart of the village. Visitors will encounter a church, a bakery, a museum & more. There will be information about starting your ancestry research and dual citizenship.
As you stroll around the village you will be entertained by our Italian singers, our accordion player, our juggling jester and don't forget to get a selfie with Mona Lisa. At 5:15 there will be a procession (an old Italian tradition) around the village carrying one of Italy's patron saints accompanied with musicians, singers, dancers and all who wish to join in!
La Musica d'Italia
The Music of Italy!
The Main Stage, Presented by Coca Cola Bottling United, will feature a diverse array of Italian musical styles which are an iconic part of the Italian Identity! Featured performances include:
The University of Montevallo Jazz Band
Plays the Italian Greats
Ross Gagliano
The Music of Italy
Encore Dance
Presents a Day in Italy
Ken Gilmer
The Best of Frank Sinatra & Dean Martin
Razz Ma Tazz
Featuring Frank Ranelli, Mayor Frank Brocato and Tommy Vacarella singing the Che La Luna!
The Sugo Showdown
Do you think your sugo is the best in Birmingham? If you think you have what it takes then please click on the link below to join the competition.
Space in the competition is limited so please register early. All team/individual competitors are expected to arrive at the Festa with their sugo entry, in a crock pot or warming container of their choice, by 3:45 PM.
Please provide enough sugo for 5-6 people to taste.
Sugo must be served hot/warm to the judges.
You are welcome to serve your sugo with pasta or bread, but only the sauce will be judged.
Judging will begin at 4:15 PM.
Judging criteria will be emailed to all competitors upon the approval of their registration.
Winners of the cook-off will be announced on the main stage at 7:10 PM.
Teams/Individuals do not have to be present to win, but it is highly encouraged.
Bocce Ball Tournament
Space is limited for tournament. Play begins at 3:05 sharp!
Bocce Ball is an Italian lawn bowling game where the object of the game is to roll a brightly colored ball closest to a smaller white ball called a Pallino. The rolled ball is measured to record how close it is to the pallino. Closest ball wins the game.
We will have two courts: one for the tournament and another for those who would simply like to try their hand at Bocce Ball.
Our tournament will be a singles tournament. Contestants must be at least 12 years old. Each match will consist of up to three games with each player rolling two balls per game. Closest ball wins the game. First to win two games is the match winner. The winner of the match advances
to the next tournament round. There is no charge to enter. Winner and runner-up will receive trophies.
"Spina Stomp"
Grape Stomping
presented by Sam Spina Importing Co.
For centuries grapes were picked by hand and grape stomping was the method used to extract juice from the grapes which were then used to make wine. It is believed that grape stomping goes back as far as Rome in 200 BC. We won’t make wine from our Grape Stomp, only FUN!
Stomp competitions take place on a raised platform near the Water Tower and Small Stage of Festa on Saturday. The first heat takes place at 3:55 PM. Our Emcees will be the awesome hilarious duo of Louis Ardovino and Abe Boackle, two locals known for their flavorful commentary!
Each team consists of a Stomper and a Swabby (helper). The teams compete against their rivals to create and collect as much grape juice as possible in a messy and frenetic 3-minute stomp! Participants, be ready to jump in with both feet and make some vino! Your rules are as follows:
Stompers must use bare feet.
Only one team member may stomp at a time.
Each four-minute heat allows 3 minutes of stomping and 1 minute of juice collecting.
A five-gallon jug is used to collect the juice.
The collected juice is measured by the judges, encouraged
by the audience, of course!
