SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — It's a yearly tradition that draws thousands to the heart of downtown Scranton. That tradition is, of course, La Festa Italiana.
The turnout for day one of this year's celebration was a sight to behold.
Pasta, porketta, and pizza: These are just a few items on the menu at the festival in downtown Scranton. For many, the food, the music, and the festival are a yearly tradition. But for some visitors 28/22 News spoke with, Friday's festival was a first.
"I just want to say, this is one of the largest, nicest Italian feasts I've been to in a long time," John Ciorra of New York told 28/22 News.
"Whoa! It's awesome! It's like, whoa, everyone wants to be Italian here. Look at the lines for the food! Mamma mia, it's a great thing, isn't it?" Dory Fazio of Reading enthused.
Judging by the lines, it's clear many others agree on the festival's greatness. The food is hard to beat, but to some, it means more than just a full belly.
"As you know, Italians, food is love. So if you're coming to my home, I'll cook for you with love in my heart, of course," Fazio said.
Lucky for Fazio, there's no cooking required at La Festa. That is, unless you're working for one of the more than 65 food vendors who make it all possible. With all of the options, it's hard to go wrong. For these first-timers, nothing is off the table.
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"Personally, I like the lobster tails, the cannolis, sausage and peppers, everything, man. You can't, you know, it's Italian food. You can't go wrong," Ciorra said.
While the food, music, and people make this celebration a success year after year, La Festa Italiana would be nothing without culture and heritage.
"It's what we are. It represents who we are. It represents all my grandparents coming over from Italy," Fazio explained.
"Italians are very family-oriented, very traditional people. So it's very, you know, it's a lot of tradition that we do. So we want to keep everyone together, we want to keep the tradition alive, very passionate, very strong people," Ciorra commented.
For yet another year, this tradition in downtown Scranton is not just alive; It's prospering.
Day two of La Festa Italiana kicks off Saturday at 11:00 a.m. on Courthouse Square.
A list of vendors, entertainment schedules, and all other info on this year's festival can be found online.
