The Tampa Bay area doesn’t exactly lack for things to do on a Saturday. Between the waterfront, the museums, the restaurants, and the general fact that the weather in May is not yet trying to actively kill you, weekends around here tend to fill themselves. And yet, somehow, somebody looked at all of that and said, “You know what this region still needs? A full-scale celebration of Italian culture, complete with exotic cars, wine, and an obscene amount of pasta.” Again: correct.
The St. Pete Italian Fest returns on Saturday, May 16, at Vinoy Park (701 Bayshore Dr NE), running from 11 am – 7 pm. Eight hours. Think about that. Eight full hours of Italian everything, right on the waterfront. The organizers aren’t throwing a little get-together. They’re staging an event with the energy of someone who just watched The Godfather for the first time and immediately called their friends. Tickets are available here.
Photos via St.Pete Italian Fest
What’s on the agenda? Authentic Italian food from local vendors, live music and performances by top Italian bands, a stunning Italian car show featuring exotic and vintage vehicles, art exhibits showcasing Italian culture and heritage, wine tastings, craft cocktails, and family-friendly activities and games. That lineup covers basically every conceivable category of a good time. If you leave this festival unhappy, that’s a personal problem, and we say that with love…