Celebrate tradition with the Italian Festival
By Rachel Godward, Former Staff Writer
September 26, 2006 | 12:01 p.m.
Calling all Ohio University students! Do you wish to learn more about Italian culture? This weekend in Columbus, adults and children of all ages are coming together to celebrate the 27th annual Italian Festival, “Simply Italian.”
Original Italian food dishes, open-air markets, traditional games and various prizes will be offered, as well as a chance to show some talent in a singing competition and bocce ball tournament. There will be a 2006 Lamborghini display this year, as well as a chance to win a large screen television.
The Italian Fest originated in 1980, when Catholic bishops in the U.S. declared the “year of the family” in order to support their religion as well as close ties with loved ones. Father Casto, a prominent religious figure of the time, wished to create a sense of unity for American-Italians so that they could be proud of their background, including their faith, religion and moral values.
The first Italian Fest was held on Sept. 20 and 21 of 1980 at the Lausche Building of the Ohio State Fairgrounds. “Faith-Family-Friends” was an appropriate theme for the event because it focused on obtaining and maintaining strong ties to the family, while also incorporating Italian traditions.
Today, the Italian Fest is not only for persons of Italian background. The event has been updated significantly within the last 27 years. Students of any heritage are welcome to join in the festivities, which involve vocal performances by international recording artists, orchestral and big band arrangements from Broadway, the San Giovanni dancers, bocce ball tournaments, raffles with a grand prize of over $1,000, the famous American-Italian Idol Competition, and more.
Among the performers is the Rick Brunetto Big Band, which will perform with Chuck Gilespie, singer and former meteorologist/morning anchor for WSYX and Fox 28. The band is a 17-piece orchestra with huge sound and talent. They will be playing selections from the 1930s to the present so that all ages are sure to be entertained.
For students interested in musical theater, Aaron Caruso will be performing at the event this year. He played the role of Mario Lanza on Broadway and has opened for shows in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Caesar’s Palace and other hot spots nationwide. In addition, Ray Massa’s Euro Rhythms will be performing various musical selections. The group is aimed toward the pop culture era of today and has toured nationwide.
The San Giovanni dancers are well-known, enjoyed annually at the Italian Festival. Their long, flowing skirts sway to the traditional Italian music of tambourines and accordions. Strolling musicians can also be found in the streets at the festival to contribute to the feeling of walking through Italy’s brick roads.
In addition to the musical aspects of the Italian Fest, attendees of all ages can compete in the annual Bocce Tournament. Bocce ball is thought to have originated in 5000 B.C. by the Egyptians. At the turn of the century, Italian immigrants brought the sport to the U.S., and it has since become a cultural marker of Italy.
The game is similar to bowling, but unique in that the player rolls the ball as close to the target as possible without overshooting. If any student wishes to take part in the game, he or she must arrange a team of four and register on the first day of the festivities to play in the tournament on Saturday and the final game on Sunday. Monetary prizes of up to $450 will be awarded to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners.
The raffle is also a great way for students to earn a bit of extra cash. In total, cash prizes reach $3,000, with the grand prize drawings taking place on Sunday. Raffle tickets are $1. There is no limit on how many tickets you may enter.
One of the most popular events at the Italian Fest is the American-Italian Idol Competition. Children and adults ages 15-26 may audition and compete with any song selection. A panel of judges will decide who performed best overall, and the first place winner will receive $1,000, five hours of recording studio time and a performance at the 2007 festival.
The event will be held from 12 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 30 and from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 1. Tickets are $5 each. Children 12 and under enter for free.
The Italian Festival is a way to discover a new culture or to remember a traditional one. The festival will be held at St. John the Baptist Italian Catholic Church. To learn more about the Italian Fest, contact a representative at (614) BY-ITALY. You may receive directions and more information by visiting columbusitalianfestival.com. Ciao!