After two years of being canceled due to the pandemic, the Irish Italian Festival returns for its 19th year. After a 4 p.m. mass, the festival will begin at 5 p.m. at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church on campus at the University of Southern Mississippi. At the festival, there will be food, live music, silent auctions and much more.

“We started it so many years ago with the joy and the thought to bring three communities together,” said Kim Busche, an event organizer. “We wanted the church community, the Southern Miss community and the Hattiesburg community to come spend some time together in fellowship and fun and enjoy friends.” The festival will run from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. and entry is free.