Little Italy San Jose will mark an important milestone this October as its annual Italian Festival celebrates its 10th anniversary, bringing one of Northern California’s largest celebrations of Italian culture back to downtown San Jose.
The free, family-oriented festival is scheduled for Sunday, October 4, 2026, from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM in the Little Italy San Jose Business District. Organizers expect approximately 20,000 to 25,000 visitors for a full day devoted to Italian food, music, automobiles, wine and heritage.
One of the festival’s signature attractions will be a large display of Italian cars, including models from Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, Pagani and other celebrated Italian manufacturers. The event has developed into one of the largest Italian car showcases of its kind in the United States.
Live entertainment will run throughout the day. The program includes Italian-American jazz singer Vanessa Raci, Grammy-winning accordionist Cory Pesaturo and acclaimed Italian tenor Pasquale Esposito, who is scheduled to perform a 90-minute headline set. Food vendors, Italian and California wines, arts and crafts and family activities will complete the program.
The anniversary weekend will begin on Friday, October 2, with a special kickoff dinner and concert featuring Raci and Pesaturo. The evening includes a 4-course Italian dinner with wine for $75 per person.
October 2 will also feature the dedication of new murals honoring Italian-American contributions to the community, highlighting the continuing development of the Little Italy neighborhood.
The festival is organized by the nonprofit Little Italy San Jose Foundation. Proceeds from the celebration support the recently opened Little Italy San Jose Cultural Center & Museum, helping ensure that Italian and Italian-American culture remains a visible and growing part of San Jose’s identity.
