Day three of the four-day, annual Columbus Day Weekend Festival in Providence saw quite the turnout. This yearly event, now in its 39th year, took place on Federal Hill and offered classic Italian cuisine, live music and of course, the parade. Federal Hill Commerce Association President Rick Simone said turnout exceeded what he’s seen in the last five years.

“There’s a lot of us full of a lot of Italian pride right now,” Simone told 12 News on Sunday. He added that the small businesses have “overcome so much over the last few years,” whether it be the Washington Bridge closure or the pandemic. “We’ve all worked really really hard to get to this point,” Simone added.