Thousands of visitors gathered at The Gateway in downtown Salt Lake City for the 11th annual Festa Italiana SLC held on Sept. 19 and 20, 2026. The two-day cultural festival, which celebrates Italian cuisine, music, and community, drew crowds for a weekend of festivities that included live entertainment and culinary contests.
A Milestone Anniversary and Diverse Activities
The 2026 iteration of the festival followed a milestone 10th anniversary in 2025, which organizers noted was their biggest year to date with over 55,000 guests attending. This year's event, held at 18 North Rio Grande Street, featured a wide array of activities including a vintage bike race, a vintage bike show, and an Italian car show.
Contests and Family Entertainment
The festival provided various entertainment options for attendees, including pizza and pasta eating contests. The pizza eating contest was sponsored by Pizzeria Tasso, while the pasta eating contest was sponsored by Fratelli Ristorante. Children's activities included face painting, balloon art, a children's DIY craft area provided by Craft Lake City, and a splash pad located at The Gateway.
Live Musical Performances
Live musical performances took place throughout the weekend on the main stage. On Saturday, Sept. 19, performers included Luca De Paolis & Alessio Bonucci from Civitavecchia, Italy, featuring Angela Cannata from Palermo, Italy, as well as the Anthony Nino Lane Band from Salinas, California. The evening's headliner was Sonamó, performing from Naples, Italy, via San Francisco, California. On Sunday, Sept. 20, the lineup included the Joe Muscolino Band from Salt Lake City and additional performances by the Anthony Nino Lane Band and Sonamó.
Culinary Traditions and Vendors
The festival's culinary offerings included more than 15 authentic Italian restaurants from across the Salt Lake Valley. Featured food vendors and booths included Bella Pizza Food Truck, Buzzed Coffee Truck, Bacio d'Italia, Granato's, Per Noi Trattoria, Sapori Italian Bakery & Cafe, Sicilia Mia / Antica Sicilia Spacca by Bartolo's, Veneto - Via Veneto Pizzarium, Buono Ristorante, Fratelli Ristorante, Mastra Italian Bakery, Pizzeria Tasso, and Pinguino Gelato. Patrons also had access to Italian beer and hand-selected imported Italian wines.
Charitable Impact and Organization
Festa Italiana SLC is a volunteer-led, non-profit organization. The event is hosted by two non-profits: the Italian-American Civic League of Utah and the Italian Club of Salt Lake. According to the Italian-American Civic League, proceeds from the festival are used to support local and national non-profit charitable organizations. For the 2026 event, proceeds were designated for Catholic Community Services and other charities to support homeless and refugee outreach services.
A Legacy of Cultural Celebration
The festival has a history of featuring notable international and local performers. Past musical guests have included Ricci Martin, the son of Dean Martin, as well as the Marco Calliari Band from Montreal, Canada, Etnosound from Calabria, Italy, Tributo Italiano from Venice, Italy, and Musica da Ripostiglio from Tuscany, Italy.
Cultural and Historical Exhibits
The festival's programming included a variety of cultural exhibits, craft demonstrations, and historical displays intended to showcase Italian heritage. In addition to the main stage music, the event included street performers and various arts and crafts booths.
