Bloomfield feasts and fests at Little Italy Days
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I enjoyed this Italian beer from Dancing Gnome at last year's festival. Photo: Ryan Deto/Axios
The city's annual Italian heritage festival returns this week, filling Liberty Avenue with bocce, live music and food stalls galore.
The big picture: The free four-day festival has become a tradition in Bloomfield, the city's Little Italy neighborhood, turning about 100,000 visitors into temporary paisans.
What they're saying: "Everyone is Italian this weekend. And we are celebrating," Little Italy Days organizer Sal Richetti tells Axios.
- Richetti said a lot of Italian Americans who grew up in Bloomfield but have since moved out return to the neighborhood just for Little Italy Days.
🍝 Dig in: Expect a mix of Italian and non-Italian food purveyors.
- Local favorite DiAnoia's is expanding its booth this year, chef and owner Dave Anoia tells Axios. It typically serves pasta dishes and cocktails like limoncello spritz. This year it will offer new items like an Italian margarita.
- Richetti is excited about an arancini, or fried rice ball, vendor coming from Boston.
- Bloomfield pizza shops like Caliente and Angelo's will compete in a best slice competition.
- There are also booths hawking chicken fingers, funnel cake, gyros and other festival staples.
🎼 What's new: Italian opera singer Marco Fiorante will perform on Friday. Other local rock bands will play throughout the weekend.
- A miniature golf course for kids will be on hand, said Richetti.
Don't miss the local celebrity bocce game at 6pm Thursday on Cedarville Street.
- It's Irish versus Italians, and Steelers legend Rocky Bleier and former TV news anchor Paul Martino are set to square off.
💭 Ryan's thought bubble: Thursday is my favorite day to visit. Liberty Avenue allows vehicles to pass through and some booths haven't arrived yet, but the crowds are less intense, and strolling the sidewalks with an Italian beer and some meatballs is bliss.
Getting there: Richetti recommends using ride share or public transit to visit, as traffic can be significant, especially Saturday and Sunday.
- People driving can park for free on Saturday and Sunday in the garage at Liberty and Aspen and the UPMC Luna Garage off of Baum Boulevard. It's a short walk from both.
- Check the Little Italy Days website for more transportation suggestions.
If you go: Booths stretch from Ella to Gross streets on Liberty Avenue. Saturday and Sunday are closed to vehicles. Friday also could be closed to vehicles if local public safety officials decide, said Richetti.
- Thursday 5pm-9pm, Friday and Saturday 12pm-9pm, Sunday 12pm-5pm.