Festa Italia returns to Monterey with food, music, and dancing

NEW TONIGHT … CREWS ARE PUTTING THE FINAL TOUCHES ON ONE OF MONTEREY’S MOST POPULAR CELEBRATIONS. YOU’RE LOOKING LIVE AT CUSTOM HOUSE PLAZA WHERE FESTA ITALIA KICKS OFF TOMORROW…. TODAY… CREW WERE BUSY SETTING UP FOR THE THREE-DAY EVENT. THE FREE, FAMILY- FRIENDLY FESTIVAL CELEBRATES ITALIAN HERITAGE AND THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF MONTEREY’S FISHING COMMUNITY.# EXPECT THREE DAYS OF FOOD, MUSIC, AND DANCING … WITH FAVORITES LIKE CALAMARI, SAUSAGE SANDWICHES, AND CANNOLI. NEW THIS YEAR … AN ITALIAN DESSERT COURT AND TARANTELLA DANCE LESSONS. ORGANIZERS SAY THE EVENT HONORS A TRADITION THAT STARTED BACK IN 1933 WITH STARTED WITH LOCAL SICILIAN FISHERMEN.

Updated: 12:37 PM PDT Sep 5, 2025

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The Festa Italia, a three-day festival celebrating Italian heritage and Monterey’s fishing community, starts Friday at Custom House Plaza.Joe Cardinalli, with the Festa Italia Foundation, said, “This was the sardine capital of the world in the 1930s in the war and so we need people to the history and tradition of what Monterey was and how it was built so it’s a community event. Free. Can’t beat it.”Attendees can expect three days of food, music, and dancing, with favorites like calamari, sausage sandwiches, and cannoli. New this year are an Italian dessert court and tarantella dance lessons. Organizers say the event honors a tradition that started back in 1933 with local Sicilian fishermen.See more coverage of top Central Coast stories | Download our app / Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

MONTEREY, Calif. —

The Festa Italia, a three-day festival celebrating Italian heritage and Monterey’s fishing community, starts Friday at Custom House Plaza.

Joe Cardinalli, with the Festa Italia Foundation, said, “This was the sardine capital of the world in the 1930s in the war and so we need people to the history and tradition of what Monterey was and how it was built so it’s a community event. Free. Can’t beat it.”

Attendees can expect three days of food, music, and dancing, with favorites like calamari, sausage sandwiches, and cannoli. New this year are an Italian dessert court and tarantella dance lessons. Organizers say the event honors a tradition that started back in 1933 with local Sicilian fishermen.

See more coverage of top Central Coast stories | Download our app / Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel