Food. Family. Fireworks! Festa Italiana 2013 will be held July 19-21 on Milwaukee's lakefront! At Festa, Tutti Italiani! #FestaMKE

Festa Italiana Milwaukee, WI

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, April 2, 2013...Festa Italiana is excited to announce this year's festival dates Friday, July 19 – Sunday, July 21, at Henry W. Maier Festival Park (Summerfest grounds) on Milwaukee's lakefront. Attendees can look forward to new and exciting entertainment, a variety of wines and spirits, Italian heritage and fun attractions for all to enjoy!

This year, the festival is also getting a fresh new look. "Our new logo reflects a fresh, contemporary design that characterizes a festival both rich in tradition and one that is poised for success in the future. Staying true to our roots, the logo proudly displays the hallmarks of Festa – the Italian flag representing our heritage, a wine bottle symbolizing the presence of wine in our culture's history and a fork representing a people passionate about food and family," said Gina Spang, president of Festa Italiana.

"Aside from actually eating in Italy, Festa is the next best thing. This year we will continue to offer classic favorites including rice balls, Italian sausage sandwiches, fried eggplant strips, calamari, panini, pasta and cannoli along with a few new items as well. We will also offer wine tastings and classes featuring some of the most famous and sought-after wines of Italy and Napa. Our popular gondola rides will return, in addition to the bocce tournament, Cucina Showcase and Pinocchio Parade."

Besides delicious food, Festa is known for having the best fireworks on Milwaukee's lakefront, and Spang invites people to come see for themselves. "Italian-style fireworks provided by Bartolotta are the brightest and loudest fireworks in the Milwaukee sky. We encourage everyone to come down and see what the buzz is all about!"

Announcements on entertainment acts, new food items, attractions and cultural exhibits will be released in the upcoming weeks. Festa's traditional Sunday mass and procession will take place at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday, July 21, at the Marcus Amphitheater.

New this year, online tickets will be available for purchase at http://www.festaitaliana.com. Advanced tickets are on sale now for $10.00 through July 1. For ticket questions, please call 414-223-2805.

Taste of Italy

If you love Italian food – you won't want to miss "A Taste of Italy." The Italian Community Center is hosting its 18th annual "A Taste of Italy," Sunday, April 14, 2013, from 11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. The menu will feature Italian favorites such as Italian wedding soup, pasta, meatballs, Italian sausage, arancini (rice balls), manicotti, calamari, breaded pork tenderloin, olive salad, sfingi, sub sandwiches, pizza, sfinciuni (Sicilian style pizza) and a variety of desserts including cannoli, Italian cookies, éclairs, spumoni, gelato and pizzelle. Espresso, coffee, beer, wine and soda will also be available. Attendees can enjoy live entertainment throughout the event, including the Italian Dance Group of Milwaukee, Tradizione Vivente, The Sicilian Serenaders II and ICC member Chris Evans. Attendees can also participate in a raffle with a variety of prizes including a 55-inch LCD HD TV. Admission and parking are free. Food and beverage tickets will be sold for $1.50 each or as a set of seven for $10.00.

"We look forward to sharing our cultural food with a big turnout," said Ann Romano, chairperson.

About Festa Italiana

Festa Italiana takes place at Henry W. Maier Festival Park (Summerfest grounds) on Milwaukee's lakefront. The festival runs Friday, July 19, to Sunday, July 21.

Celebrating food, family and fireworks, Festa Italiana is the largest Italian event of its kind in America today. The Festival began in 1978 for the purpose of reuniting an Italian community torn apart by urban renewal projects and was the first ethnic festival in Milwaukee. Today, several ethic festivals are celebrated on Milwaukee's lakefront and the city is now widely known as the City of Festivals. Through the dedication of more than 2,000 volunteers, the annual Festa Italiana has become a favorite family event to Milwaukee and surrounding areas.

Please follow Festa Italiana on Twitter @FestaMKE and become a fan of Festa Italiana on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/festaitalianamilwaukee. For more information on the festival, please visit www.FestaItaliana.com or call 414-223-2805.

Festa Italiana is sponsored in part by MillerCoors, Spiked Island Adult Lemonade, Potawatomi Bingo Casino, International Autos Group, LoDuca Bros., Inc., Major Goolsby's, Pyramax Bank, Catholic Financial Life and The Bartolotta Restaurant Group.