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Three-Day Italian Festival

Hartford News

October 09, 2008

Friday, Oct. 10 5-10 pm

Saturday, Oct. 11 1 - 10:30 pm

Sunday, Oct. 12 1-8 pm

FRANKLIN AVENUE (Road closed between Preston & Brown Streets)

H Carnival Rides

H Music & Dancing

H Cultural Food

H Kids’ Activities

H and Much More!

Columbus Day

Parade down Franklin Avenue starts at 10:30 am

Sunday, Oct. 12

Special Mass

9 am

Columbus

Park

Public

Invited

It has been said that there are only two absolute laws in the universe. The first is gravity. The second is everyone likes Italian food.

Lovers of Italian food – and Italian music, dance and culture – will get their fill this weekend at the three-day Italian Festival on Franklin Avenue. The climax of the weekend will be the annual Columbus Day Parade down Franklin Avenue, from the avenue’s intersection with Maple Avenue all the way to Columbus Park on the Wethersfield Town line. The parade will start at 10:30 am on Sunday, October 12.

On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Franklin Avenue will be closed off between Brown and Preston Streets and carnival rides, food booths and a stage for live entertainment will be set up.

Performers include Tony Allen & Band, Christina (Soprano), Jeff Italian Classico, Odissea Top 40 Band, Tommy Pop Music, the Aaron Caruso Show, DJ Mix, Karaoke, New Scorpio Bank, Cuore Folk D'Italia, and Tony Reali.

The festival is also a chance to explore the culinary and cultural attraction of Franklin Avenue. Most of the Italian restaurants, markets and bakeries which made the avenue famous as “Little Italy” are still cranking out everything from cannolies to veal piccata. Due to shifting populations, the Avenue is now home to restaurants and markets representing the cultures of South America, the Caribbean and Eastern Europe. On Franklin Avenue, you can start dinner with a Peruvian appetizer, continue with an Italian entree and finish with a Bosnian dessert.

On Friday, October 10, 2008 the Italian American Celebration & Floridian Reunion Committee (IACFR), in association with the Italian American Celebration & Parade Committee (IAC), will hold a banquet at the Aqua Turf in Southington. Attendees will include public officials from the sister cities of Floridia, Italy and Hartford, CT. Hundreds of business owners, friends, and families throughout the United States and Sicily will also be in attendance.

Sunday’s parade honors Christopher Columbus, a native of Genoa, Italy, who epic journey in 1492 final brought the “New World” and the “Old World” together. Parade participants include: Floridia Sister City Representatives, several Greater Hartford Italian-American Societies, Smokey's Racing, Gruppo Folkloristico' Di Agrigento Sicilia, Gruppo Folkloristico' Cuore' Italia, New Britain High Golden Hurricane Band, Rocky Hill High Royal Blues, Hartford Magnet Middle School, Naylor School, and the Hartford All City Band, which includes participation from Bulkeley, Hartford, Weaver and Wethersfield High Schools.

Before the parade, a mass will be held at Columbus Park and will begin at 9:00 AM. Mass will be conducted by Father Antonio Lo Terzo from Floridia, Italy and Father Rodolfo D'Agostino from California.