Sep 24, 2018 3 min read

The third annual Washington Italian Heritage Festival is scheduled from noon to 9 p.m. Saturday at the Community Pavilion on South Main Street in Washington.

A kick-off event will be held from 5:30 to 10 p.m. Friday at the Community Pavilion. A spaghetti dinner begins at 5:30. Guitarist Tony Janflone Jr. Duo performs a free concert from 7 to 8. The movie “Moonstruck” will be shown at 8:30, compliments of Washington Business District Association. Tickets for the dinner must be purchased in advance. Beer and wine will be sold.

The Saturday festival will feature activities for all ages, including a meatball-tasting contest with celebrity judges, Tarantella folk dancing, crowning of Little Miss Italy and a bocce demonstration. Chef Jason Capps from Canonsburg’s Bella Sera restaurant will provide a cooking demonstration. The Washington Jazz Orchestra will perform and singer Nick Fiasco will sing Italian favorites from Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and others.

Throughout the day, guests can enjoy Italian music by D.J. John Ridge, learn about local Italian clubs, shop for Italian merchandise and enjoy Italian food. Culinary specialities will be offered by Union Grill, Chicco Bacello, Julian’s, Palazzo 1837 Ristorante, Heppinger’s, Grande Jr., and Regional Flavors Catering. Fudge, desserts and homemade cookies will also be available. Over-21 beverages will be for sale from the Washington Winery, J & D Winery, Red Pump Spirits, Liberty Pole Spirits and BDI.

Representatives of the Italian Heritage Collection at Citizens Library will be on-hand to invite descendants of Washington’s Italian immigrants to record oral histories and to digitize historic photos and documents. On-site digital scanning will be available at the festival, courtesy of the library.

Local elected officials participating in the event include Washington County Commissioners Larry Maggi and Diane Irey Vaughn, Washington Mayor Scott Putnam and state Rep. Tim O’Neal.

State Sen. Camera Bartolotta will recognize descendants of Washington’s Italian immigrants who have shared their family histories at Citizens Library. Bartolotta will also recognize two of Washington’s oldest Italian clubs, Alpine Star Lodge No. 9, established in 1929, and Vittoria Lodge No. 76. Both are chapters of the Italian Sons and Daughters of America.

Italian-American memoirs by Washington barber/pastor Floyd Marasco, who has written about life in Tylerdale, and the late Virginia Proia Rea, who has written about life on South Street in Washington, will be available for sale at the festival.

The festival is sponsored by the Sons and Daughters of Italy, Primo Italiano Lodge No. 2800. The group promotes Italian social and cultural events, and supporting the Washington community through events and a college scholarship program for eligible students.

Sponsors will be recognized in the event program and with signs throughout the festival.

For information and tickets for the spaghetti dinner, contact Jon Bruno at 724-249-7660, brunofamily2@comcast.net or Debi Nicolella at vwragtop5@yahoo.com. The Facebook page for the festival can be found at www.facebook.com/WashPaItalianFest/.