It all began when Virginia Franscori Morsani brought spaghetti to a potluck picnic in 1898. While it wasn't immediately popular following its first appearance in Arkansas, Father Pietro Bandini solidified its importance when he asked Morsani to make an "approachable Italian dish" for his friends who were coming to visit in 1904 (via YouTube).

Everyone absolutely loved the spaghetti dinner, and thus it became a staple at every Tontitown Grape Festival that followed (where it is one of the first things advertised when interested patrons look at the festival's website.)