'Festa Italiana' Returns to the Suburbs on Sunday, July 19

The second annual Mokena “Festa Italiana” takes place Sunday, July 19, 2015, and is expected to draw an even larger crowd than last year’s 1,200 attendees. The festival is based on the traditional Italian Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

The event begins at 11 a.m. at the Mokena Intermediate School, 11331 195th St., just west of the Mokena Library, with a procession ending at the festival grounds at the Front Street Metra Station lot.

Festival chairman Vince DiFiori predicts this year’s festival will be better since the number of vendors who have signed on has increased.

“We have already surpassed our expectations and donations are pouring in in excess of where we were this time last year,” DiFiori said.

Traditional Italian foods such as pasta and meatballs, sausage and beef sandwiches, fried dough, pastries and more are lined up to be served throughout the day. In addition, festival volunteers have also planned multiple activities for kids and families attending including arts and crafts, face painting, a petting zoo and more.

Several musical acts are also scheduled to perform throughout the day on the main stage, including local tenor Franco Martorana who will perform traditional Italian opera classics.

Tickets to enter the festival are $6 a person or $18 per family. Following expenses, all funds raised will be donated to various local charities in Mokena and surrounding areas.

Festa organizers have a Facebook page — www.facebook.com/festaitlianainmokena — and flyers are being distributed throughout neighboring communities. Volunteers are also being sought to cover the all-day event. For more information or to volunteer, contact David Molinari at davidval@aol.com.