Festa Italiana Syracuse: one big Italian family

Vendors and visitors alike were enjoying the music, sensational smells and extraordinary flavors as they gathered for Syracuse’s annual Festa Italiana. The three-day event celebrated its 26th year as it packed Washington Street in downtown Syracuse, giving visitors the chance to enjoy some of Syracuse’s finest Italian cuisine. 

As is tradition, the festival brought family and food together for three days of Italian delight, running from Sept. 13 to Sept. 15. Festa Italiana saw visitors, both old and new, coming together to enjoy music performances, beautiful weather and to show their loyalty to some of their favorite longtime vendors. 

Among these vendors were The Baked Potato Express, It’s A Utica Thing, Vito’s Ristorante, Matty’s Meatballs & Pasta, Big Mama’s Cheesecakes and many more. Some repeating participants, and others making their debut for the first time this year, all brought their own Italian flair and familial love to the front of Syracuse’s City Hall. 

The Baked Potato Express, owned by Dylan Husted, is a family business that prides itself on its specialty twist-on potatoes. Husted and his team traveled all summer to share their cooking, participating in cultural festivals such as Irish Fest and Festa Italiana. As part of their Festa Italiana debut, they introduced their all-new “Pizza Potatoes” and “Meat Lovers’ Potatoes” at the event.

Cameron Sullivan, a friend of the owner who helped out at their stand, admitted his favorite part was undoubtedly the people involved. 

“I love Italian culture, it’s my favorite,” Sullivan said. “I worked for Sicilians for two and half years, and I love them, they’re great people if you work hard. If you don’t work hard, they’ll let you know.” 

Other vendors at Festa Italiana were seasoned veterans, delighted to make their return. This includes It’s A Utica Thing, which specializes in all the Syracuse Italian classics, such as chicken riggies, tomato pie and utica greens. It’s A Utica Thing found this year’s festival particularly special as it was their 20th year attending.

One of the owners, Charlie Digristina, described their business as the accumulation of years of family tradition, originating from his grandmothers and passed down through generations to reach the people who now sample their food. 

“This is a special event for us, we are all over the place throughout the summer but this is absolutely my favorite event,” Digristina said. “It’s a family event, and the coordinators here are like family to me now, and a lot of friendships have come out of it.”

Digristina is passionate about his business and is excited to hand it over to the next generation — his two sons, Charlie Digristina Junior and Vincenzo Digristina. He described how his son Vicenzo studied in Italy for two years, bringing a piece of it back home to the family business that he will eventually co-lead.

Festa Italiana also brought the best out of people in the spirit of the event’s family-like atmosphere, with business owners like Digristina going out of their way to recommend some of their own favorite vendors at the festival. One of these recommendations was for visitors to make a stop at Vito’s Ristorante, whose stand has been a staple at the festival for more than a decade, celebrating their 15th consecutive visit this year. 

As it turns out, some of the vendors at Festa Italiana have personal ties to Syracuse University. Vito’s Ristorante prides itself on its homemade, family-recipe food, as well as its involvement with SU’s football team. 

“And you know what, we feed your football team every home game,” said restaurant co-owner Michael Albanese.

Michael Albanese runs Vito’s Ristorante with his son, John Albanese, featuring recipes originally curated by his mother. At Festa Italiana, they sold their most popular selling items from their East Syracuse location. When asked their favorite part of the festival, they both replied, without hesitation, “the people.” 

“They’re so friendly, they love to eat, they love our food, and we see the same faces every year,” Michael Albanese said. “We’re so blessed.” 

“The majority of all the vendors here come back every year, and it just shows how successful the festival is,” John Albanese said. 

Of course, no visit to Festa Italiana is complete without a dessert. Big Mama’s Cheesecakes, run by mother-son duo Carrie Fanizzi and Joe Fanizzi, sells a sacred family recipe for the perfect slice of Italian cheesecake.

Carrie Fanizzi describes a perfect slice of their family’s cheesecake as “creamy and made with love!” 

Photo by Emily Bruck

Joe Fanizzi, Myka Bessette, Kaylah Bessette, and Carrie Fanizzi in front of their stand selling their sacred family recipe for the perfect slice of cheesecake.

No festival is complete without the visitors. Many are repeat Festa-goers, such as Syracuse natives Jacquie Kelly Kaden and her father, Joe Kelly. This year, Kaden brought her coworker, Alexis Trendell, as a lunch break from their jobs at Robert L. Kelly Insurance, located right next door to the festival. 

“Every year we come here, either my dad and I, and now Alexis,” Kaden said, “We come to enjoy the food, the people, the vendors, and just see this whole side of Washington Street just celebrate in the afternoon.” 

Kaden comes to Festa Italiana every year on a hunt for chicken and sausage riggies and utica greens, Syracuse classics. Trendell added that she was on the lookout for anything looking “truly Italian.”

Festa Italiana is the culmination of loyal attendees, passionate vendors and Syracuse’s rich history. Bocce Tournaments, street performers and tastes from all around Italy created an energetic atmosphere to celebrate Italian culture with the essential ingredient of love in every plate.