Festa Italiana came back with a bang, with a great turnout for 2019.

The annual festival serves as a backdrop for current residents and those returning to the area to celebrate Italian heritage with authentic Italian cuisine, live music, games and a fireworks display.

“This was one of our best years. We hope to come back in 2020 even better,” stated Mary Anne Colestro, president of the Festa Italiana Committee.

“One thing that really stands out to me is the amount of support we got from everybody and so many people came home this year. We appreciate people always coming back,” Colestro noted.

All the money that’s raised during Festa Italiana is donated back to the organizations that volunteer to run the booths.

“It’s so important for us to be able to give back and that’s why we do it,” Colestro explained.

Despite thunderstorms earlier Thursday, festival attendees were greeted with clear blue skies, sunshine and daytime temperatures in the low 70s by the time the festival opened Thursday afternoon. Colestro described the weather as “just cool enough to enjoy the food without becoming overheated.”

New this year was an improved kids area, which Colestro said “had some really great inflatables that the younger kids really loved.”