California Italian Festivals

There are thousands of Italian restaurants serving up pastas and pleasure. Chased down with a fine Italian wine, what could be better? How about an Italian festa celebrating Italy's culture with dancing, Italian songs, and of course–the FOOD!

Here are few California Italian Festivals

MONTEREY: Santa Rosalia Fisherman's Festival or Festa Italia September 5-7, 2025 
Friday 3-9 pm | Saturday 10 am-9 pm | Sunday 10 am -6 pm
Free admission, festaitaliamonterey.org
Custom House Plaza in downtown Monterey. Festival entertainment, raffles, bocce tournament, parade, Italian food, beer, wine.  
2025 Schedule

Friday, September 5, 2025 Dancing under the stars with The Money Band

Saturday, September 6, 2025 

• 10 a.m. Mass San Carlos Cathedral and Crowning the Statue of Santa Rosalia
• 11:30 a.m.  Opening Ceremony  Procession to Wharf & Blessing of the Fleet
• 12-1 p.m. Mike Marotta & Friends perform
• 1-1:25 p.m. Cooking Demonstration Gourmet Realtor Chef Tene Shake Classic Fisherman’s Wharf Cioppino
• 1:30-2:30 p.m. Anthony Lane Band
• 2:15 p.m. Tarantella Dancers
• 2:45-3:45 p.m. Pasquale Esposito
• 4-5 p.m. Anthony Lane Band
• 4:30 p.m. Tarantella Dancers
• 5:15-6:15 p.m. Pasquale Esposito
• 6:30-9 p.m. Dancing under the stars with Scarlet Monterey Bay’s High-Energy Dance Band

Sunday September 7, 2025

• 11-11:30am Tarantella Dance Lessons in front of main stage 
• 11:45-12:50 p.m. Anthony Lane Band
• 12:30 Tarantella Dancers (Approximate time)
• 1:30-2:30 p.m. Pasquale Esposito
• 2:45-3:45 p.m. Mike Marotta & Friends
• 3:15  p.m. Tarantella Dancers
• 4-5 p.m. Pasquale Esposito
• 5-6 p.m. Anthony Lane Band
  

LOS ANGELES: Italian Festival October 4, 2025, 4-10 p.m.  Los Angeles Italian Festival features Italian food, music, comedy, beer, wine, bocce ball and entertainment all day long! There will be a Kid's Corner with face painting, balloon animals and lots of fun activities as well as a wonderful shopping section with clothing, gifts, jewelry, collectibles and music CDs! This year's Honorary Chairman Of The Board: Joe Mantegna. Located at the corner of Hollywood & Highland, 1651 Highland Ave. Free, laitalianfestival.com

SUTTER CREEK: Italian Picnic and Parade June 7, 2026
  11:30 a.m.-5 p.m. The Italian Benevolent Society is the oldest independent Italian Club in the United States. Established in 1881 as charitable institution for aid the Families of the Italian Miners, that worked the in the Amador County gold mining community. Italian Benevolent Society hosts the Annual Italian Picnic & Parade Friday: Carnival | Wine & Olive Oil Tasting | Wineries | Beer | Live Music | Dancing- | Bingo | Bocce | Spaghetti Eating Contest | BBQ. Location: Italian Picnic Grounds, 581 State Highway 49, Sutter Hill, CA. ItalianBenevolentSociety.com

SAN DIEGO: Taste of Little Italy June 17-18, 2025, littleitalysd.com

SAN FRANCISCO: Italian Festival

October 4-12, 2025
sfitalianheritage.org

• October 4, 2025 Light Up the Tricolore in North Beach
  Head for Washington Square to join the parade committee in lighting the Italian flag in red and green lights. Listen to live music and maybe dance.
• October 5, 2025 Festa della Madonna del Lume
  10 a.m. Madonna del Lume Memorial Mass at Sts. Peter & Paul Church
  11:15 a.m. Memorial Ceremony at Sea $10 - memorial wreath ceremony just beyond the Golden Gate to honor those who have perished or been lost at sea followed by the fishing boat parade from Pier 43 1/2. This event is Day 1 of the Annual Festa honoring la Madonna del Lume in San Francisco.
  1 p.m. Mass - Spuntino $10
  1:45 p.m. Madonna del Lume Parade Line Up
  4:30 p.m. Family Dinner / Dance $95-100 adult
  facebook.com/pg/MadonnadelLumeSF

SAN FRANCISCO Italian Heritage Columbus Day Parade  Parade begins at 12:30 p.m. at Jefferson & Powell in Fisherman's Wharf, proceeding south through North Beach on Columbus Avenue and ends in Washington Square in front of Saints Peter and Paul Church.
Italian Consulate Reception
  sfcolumbusday.org

SAN FRANCISCO: San Francisco Festa Coloniale Italiana  May 31-June 1, 2025
San Francisco Italian Athletic Club
1630 Stockton St.
San Francisco, CA
(415) 781 0166, sfiacfesta.com

SACRAMENTO Festa Italiana 
italiancenter.net
FESTA ITALIANA Voted Northern California's Best Italian Festival! Saturda 11am to 10 pm and Sunday  11am to 7 PM  
3730 Auburn Blvd. Sacramento, CA (just one block east of Watt Ave)
Italian food and drink and stellar entertainers in indoor air-conditioned and an open outdoor Italian Marketplace, a Children's games and rides area, bocce ball, Italian cars, motorcycles and much more entertainment for the whole family to enjoy. There are plenty of tables and chairs in this private, shady park-like setting. 

SAN JOSE Italian-American Family Festa July 26-27, 2025
iahfsj.org | italianfamilyfestasj.org
Return of the popular Grape Stomp is on Saturday

GRASS VALLEY  Western Gateway Park, Penn Valley, CA nevadacountyitalianfestival.com

LAGUNA NIGUEL La Dolce Vita Italian Festival TBA (probably not having this event anymore)

LOS ANGELES Feast of San Gennaro   feastofla.org facebook.com/Feastofla

RANCHO MIRAGE Coachella Valley Italian Festival 
desertarc.org

REDDING: Paesano Days   reddingsonsofitaly.com

SANTA ROSA North Bay Italian Cultura Foundation TBA
nbicf.org Italian music, food, mercato, bocce, classic Italian autos.

Hey, mambo by Rosemary Clooney

A girl went back to Napoli
Because she missed the scenery
The native dances and the charming songs
But wait a minute, something's wrong
Hey, mambo! Mambo italiano!
Hey, mambo! Mambo italiano
Go, go, go you mixed up sicialiano
All you calabraise-a do the mambo like a crazy with a
Hey mambo, don't wanna tarantella
Hey mambo, no more a mozzarella
Hey mambo! Mambo italiano!

Events are not guaranteed. It is your responsibility to confirm before going.