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1. Rolled in small batches by volunteer hands, La Festa Italiana’s regulars often name them as the highlight of the entire event.
2. Booths must be meticulously squeezed into the festival grounds for all of La Festa’s vendors to fit.
3. La Festa’s signature banners are raised outside Holy Rosary Church at festival time every year.
4. Monsoon rains on Wednesday resulted in a sparse crowd at La Festa’s opening night.
5. Michael Sears began his souvenir T-shirt business at La Festa 15 years ago.
6. The sausages and peppers in La Festa’s renowned sandwiches are grilled out in the open.
7. Katy Sista leads a dedicated team of volunteers that make and sell thousands of rice balls over the course of the festival.
8. A rice ball, chopped meat inside breaded rice dough, is rolled by hand.
9. The rice ball team includes members of all ages, from newborns to octogenarians.
10. Eric Lear, right, sings and plays rhythm guitar for the Toga Party Band, a familiar set of faces at La Festa.
11. At La Festa, Zeppoles are dusted with powdered sugar and sold by the dozen and half dozen.
12. Jill Jaeger is part of a close team of volunteers whose members have slung zeppoles for years or decades.

La Festa Italiana, the annual Italian culture festival hosted by Holy Rosary Church on Sixth Street, is throwing its largest party yet. But many of the event’s traditions are upheld by volunteers who have been returning for years or decades.

https://jcitytimes.com/larger-than-ever-la-festa-italiana-is-still-a-close-knit-affair/