2 days ago
Little Italy Days kick off in Pittsburgh: "Everybody's Italian this weekend"
The Little Italy Days festival in the heart of Pittsburgh's Bloomfield neighborhood is Italian heaven.
The city's largest heritage festival kicked off on Thursday and was packed with people enjoying Italian cuisine, culture, bocce and live music.
"Everybody's Italian this weekend," said Sal Richetti, event producer. "I'm Italian American and we're keeping a legendary tradition going."
Richetti said more than 100 vendors are set up along Liberty Avenue. More than half are selling food, and many are cooking up the Italian staples just like your nonna.
"This is the marinara sauce, we're doing sausage hoagies, then these are our meatballs, stuffed shells, pasta and cannolis," said Michael Vitanovich, owner of Tambellini Event Catering.
The festival is in its 25th year. Vitanovich said he's been selling his food at the festival for almost all of them. It's an event that means a lot to him.
"It's the heritage, it's the family, it's how we grew up and someone needs to keep it going, so that's the idea of it is keep the heritage going," Vitanovich said.
And the best way to do that is to eat together.
"We have some lasagna, we have meatballs, we have pepperoni rolls, cannolis, cookies, Aperol spritz, limoncello spritz," said Dave Anoia, owner of DiAnoia's Eatery.
Anoia has served up all his restaurant's Italian goodness at Little Italy Days for a decade.
"It's always a great time. Little Italy Days brings a lot of people to Bloomfield, which is Little Italy in Pittsburgh. So, we love it, we love feeding people," Anoia said.
This year's event also includes 30 Italian musicians and acts, plus three stages.
Richetti said people from all around the country come in for the festival to celebrate the Italian roots in Pittsburgh, and help Bloomfield businesses boom.
"For the Bloomfield businesses, this is their Christmas. They want this festival. They need this festival. This is what keeps Bloomfield on the map," Richetti said.
"You name it, Italian-wise, we have it and more," he added.
Little Italy Days runs through Sunday at 5 p.m.
The Irish vs. Italians celebrity bocce game was held on Thursday evening. The popular Little Miss Italy Days pageant is on Sunday. Families can also enjoy the kid zone, which was expanded this year.
