Please join the organizers and volunteers of Festa Italiana in supporting the next Italian Festival at Seattle Center, with a GiveBig donation via the WASHINGTON GIVES donation platform. Grazie mille!
Festa Italiana presents a Greg Olson Production
Life is a Feast: The Cinema of Federico Fellini
Welcome Spring with a feast of cinematic splendor
SIFF Cinema Uptown Theater, in Seattle’s lower Queen Anne
In celebration of master Italian writer-director Federico Fellini (1920-93), Festa Italiana Seattle is proud to present a Greg Olson Production, ‘Life is a Feast: The Cinema of Federico Fellini’ film series. We’ll be screening ten Fellini films on nine nights at the SIFF Cinema Uptown Theater, in Seattle’s lower Queen Anne.
The series of films runs from April 12th through June 14th 2023 and will be shown in Italian with English subtitles. Poet, film curator and teacher Tova Gannana will provide an essay on each film. Find out more…
Tickets sold online, no refunds. Ticket fees apply.
Admission by Series Ticket: $90 general public, $80 Festa Italiana, SIFF, SAM, UW Italian Studies / Cinema Studies, Alliance Française de Seattle, NWFF, SFI, Cornish, TheFilmSchool, Scarecrow Video, KING FM members. Tickets also available by individual performance $15 per person online or “night of” at the door.
Tickets may also be purchased on-site prior to each screening.
Wed. April 12: Variety Lights and Toby Dammit
Tue. April 18: I Vitelloni
Tue. April 25: La Strada
Wed. May 3: The Nights of Cabiria
Wed. May 10: La Dolce Vita
Tue. May 23: 8½
Wed. May 31: Juliet of the Spirits
Wed. June 7: Amarcord
Wed. June 14: Ginger and Fred
2023 Italian Festival!
Welcome to Seattle’s 36th Annual Festa Italiana! Festa Italiana is an all-volunteer community organization that produces an annual series of events the last week of September, culminating in a FREE Italian Festival. Since 1988, we have been celebrating the cultural roots of Italians and Italian-Americans in the Pacific Northwest by promoting the arts, the food and the culture that are uniquely Italian.
In 2023, the Italian Festival will again be back at Seattle Center and we plan to be bigger than ever so again, thanks to our sponsors, vendors, chefs and entertainers, and to our volunteers, and YOU, our beloved patrons and supporters!
Where and When
Seattle Center
305 Harrison Street
Seattle, WA 98109
Directions and transportation options can be found on our Locations page.
Saturday September 23, 2023 from 10AM to 9PM
Sunday September 24, 2023 from 10AM to 6PM
NOTE: The Italian Car Show will be Saturday only, and the Italian Dog Show will be Sunday only.
Highlights
Music
Our Headliner this year will be a rockin’ 6-piece from Salinas, CA called the Anthony “Nino” Lane Band, covering all your Italian favorites through the decades with an emphasis on danceability! Their lineup features two native Italian singers, two Latino & Latina vocalists, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, saxophone and violin! They will be doing three shows for us over the weekend so watch for those, especially on Saturday evening, the night of the “All-Star Italian Jam.”
La Cucina Galbani® Cooking Stage
Over the years we have had Live Cooking Demos from chefs representing such local restaurants as: Café Juanita, Tulio, il Fornaio, Il Terrazzo Carmine, Café Bengodi, Serefina, Assaggio, etc. Some of their recipes can be found in our online Recipe Collection. At the same time, we have featured such national culinary luminaries as Mario Batali, Giuliano Bugali, Anne Burrell, Biba Caggiano, Michael Chiarello, Rocco DiSpirito, Mary Ann Esposito, Christina Pirello, Rosella Rago and Nick Stellino. During 2020 we solicited “virtual” cooking demos, from local chefs and celebrities alike, for you to enjoy at home as you cook along! Just visit the Great Italian Chef Page to see demos from local chefs such as Brad Inserra and Frank Isernio to national stars like Rossella Rago.
This year we’ve lined up some great chefs for you to watch in person on the rooftop terrace of Fisher Pavilion. A chef will take the stage every hour throughout the weekend from 11:00am – 5:00pm.
Rossella Rago
Festa Grape Stomp
Jump in with both feet and make wine as they used to in the Old Country. Put together a three-person team and compete for great prizes with a free T-shirt given to each competitor. Just don’t sit in the front row!
Festa Bocce Tournament
Moving back to the main floor of the Armory, this Italian version of lawn bowling is one of our most popular events. Featuring a Masters division for professionals and a Recreational division for occasional players, the bocce tournament is fascinating to watch.
Tino’s Cortile
Featuring many of our traditional children’s activities plus the “All Breeds” Italian Dog Show. And it’s all free.
From left, Bosco the Lagotto Romagnolo and his pals Romeo the Italian Greyhound, and Cece the Cirneco dell’ Etna all can’t wait to see you!
(Photo by Sarah Evans).
Exhibits
An Italian Car and Vehicle Show, “35 Years of Festa Posters” Art Show, and the Historic Photo Exhibit about Seattle’s earliest Italians plus booths of Italian organizations, arts and crafts, imported housewares, and lots of merchandise and souvenirs.
Food & Wine
Pizza, Pasta, Italian Sausage, Salami, Meatballs, Focaccia, Gelato, Birra, Vino, Prosecco, Limoncello, Cannoli, Espresso, Italian Sodas, and three Wine & Beer Gardens!
Downloadable 2022 Festa Poster
To help get into the spirit of Festa, feel free to download and print out a PDF of this year’s poster!
Le Arti della Festa Italiana
This year Le Arti della Festa Italiana will be displaying 35 Years of Italian Festival Posters. Take a look at our Art & Photography page.
The Virtual Italian Festival of 2020
For 2020, due to restrictions placed on large public events, we went 100% virtual! Please take a look at the videos below. We hope to see you in person at this year’s live event.
PART 1
List of Artists in Order of Appearance
Fortissimo!, Danny Quintero, Julie Cascioppo, Tony La Stella, Seattle Mandolin Orchestra, The Primo Basso Band, Rob Porcaro, Mary Marchese – That’s Amore, La Mezzanotte Trio (Slideshow), Dennis from Dennis & the Jets, La MezzaNotte Trio, The Rigatones, Tony La Stella & The Goombas.
Special thanks to Seattle Center and our amazing sponsors!
PART 2
List of Artists in Order of Appearance
The Rigatones, Danny Quintero, Mary Marchese, Fortissimo! The Tarantellas, Rob Porcaro, The Primo Basso Band, La Mezzanotte Trio (Slideshow), Mbrascatu, Tony La Stella & The Goombas, Fortissimo!, Julie Cascioppo, The Primo Basso Band, Fortissimo!
Special thanks to Seattle Center and our amazing sponsors!
Get Involved
Festa Italiana is a community driven event, so if you’re interested in getting involved we have several ways in which you could help:
