The first week of June is almost here, and that means the Lodi Grape Festival Grounds will soon be transformed into the annual “sagra” showcasing all things Italy.
The sagra — a local festival typically celebrating regional cuisine or honoring a patron saint — is Festa Italiana!, returning to the Lodi Grape Festival for its 13th year on Sunday, June 7.
The festival will feature live music, delicious food, cooking and pizza pie demonstrations, a car show, and wine and olive oil tastings, among other activities.
Opening at 10 a.m., the celebration will see the return of entertainment staples the Anthony “Nino” Lane Band and Italian tenor Pasquale Esposito on the main stage.
Born in Naples, Italy, Esposito has lived in Northern California since 1998 and is known for performing both traditional opera and “pop opera,” a genre made famous by performers like Andrea Bocelli, Josh Groban and Il Volo.
Esposito has performed at a number of previous Festa Italiana! events, and is sponsored by Lodi residents John and Maxine Ferraiolo, who have been friends with him and have encouraged and aided his musical career since he first traveled to the United States.
He’s starred in two PBS specials celebrating his home country: “Pasquale Esposito Celebrates Enrico Caruso,” which honored his fellow Neapolitan tenor, and a second special that took him to piazzas around Italy, where he dedicated a song to each location.
Monterey’s Nino headlines Italian festivals all over the West Coast, performing traditional classics and contemporary hits in Italian.
The Trucco Band, also a festival favorite, will kick off the main stage performances at 10:30 a.m., followed by Esposito at noon and Nino at 2 p.m.
Local entertainment will welcome festival attendees on the Benevenuti Stage, including Stockton Italian Combo, Bruno Cerro and the Nicolini Brothers on accordions.
The Sacramento-based Balliamo! Italian Folk Dancing troupe also returns this year, headlining in the Pavilion while guests stroll through the festival grounds sampling food and wine.
There will also be a Bambini Stage for youngsters attending the festival, featuring the clown duo of Sparkles and Ravioli, the Bambini Dancers — who will also be offering dance lessons — and Stockton author Orlando Molina, who will be reading from his popular book series “Ryhmosaurs.”
Also returning this year is the Boss of the Sauce Contest, where you can sample local chefs’ sauces and decide who makes the best in the area.
A judging ticket is $5 and is available at the ticket booth outside the pavilion. Sauce judging takes place from 1 to 3 p.m.
In addition, the festival will feature chefs — both Italian and non-Italian — from throughout the region demonstrating their food preparation skills at the Cooking Demonstration Stage. There will also be demonstrations on preparing Italian cocktails, and a segment on cooking with olive oil.
The Italian Mercato and Food Court will offer up the opportunity to shop for all things Italian from gifts to antiques to apparel, the Automobili Italian Auto Show will showcase a variety of Italian vehicles, and the Pavilion will host an Italian history display.
Tickets are $15 at the gate, and children younger than 12 are admitted free with an adult.
Advanced tickets can be purchased at Gian’s Deli, 2112 Pacific Ave., Stockton; SASS! Public Relations, 628 Lincoln Center, Stockton; Lodi Grape Festival Grounds, 413 E. Lockeford St., Lodi; Rinaldi’s Market, 4625 Duncan Road, Linden; and the Fruit Bowl, 8767 E. Waterloo Road, Stockton.
Dining and Cooking