Festa Italiana makes return in 2022, will be held at Italian Community Center

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Festa Italiana announced it will host its 2022 festival on the grounds of the Italian Community Center, located at 631 E. Chicago Avenue.

President Rose Anne Ceraso Fritchie said the festival will happen over one weekend, from Sept. 24-25.

"We're bringing it back to our roots," Ceraso Fritchie said. "It will be a smaller footprint, much more intimate, but you'll still have all of your favorites."

The festival was previously held at the Summerfest grounds, but was canceled in 2020 and 2021. 

Back in April 2022, the Italian Community Center Board of Directors announced the festival would not be held on the Summerfest grounds due to the pandemic's impact on the physical and financial health of the organization.

"Making the decision not to host it on the Summerfest grounds in July was really difficult," Ceraso Fritchie said. "We just couldn't. Fiscally, it just wasn't feasible," Ceraso Fritchie said.

Despite scaling down, Ceraso Fritchie said all of the best parts of Festa Italiana will continue on, including music, food, competitions and bocce. 

"We will have an opportunity to share our culture and traditions with the community in a much more intimate environment," Ceraso Fritchie said.

More information about entrance fees and capacity limits for the event is expected to be announced at a later date.