Even for those without a series of colliding vowels in their last name, North Beach was open to all comers Saturday for the Festa Coloniale Italiana, an event showcasing how San Francisco is continuing to find its way back from the darkest days of the pandemic.

Beyond a chance to knock back Aperol spritzes in a packed Washington Square Park, or watch the red wine and red sauce flow as locals and tourists gyrated on Stockton Street to upbeat renditions of “Volare” and “Bella Ciao” by Italian jazz/funk band Sonamó, the festival held by the San Francisco Italian Athletic Club Foundation was a chance to celebrate the neighborhood’s cultural roots.