At one time, Washington, D.C., had its very own Little Italy!  The area around Holy Rosary Church, at Third and F Streets, N.W., was once home to a vibrant Italian neighborhood, complete with frequent feste - or street festivals - like those in New York, Milwaukee, Chicago, Baltimore and many Italian cities. In 1999, Washington's active and growing Italian community came together to revive the traditions of their ancestors, and D.C.'s Festa Italiana was born! The inaugural festival that year drew 1,500 of the metro area's Italian-Americans and those interested in Italian culture, and it has grown every year since!

Three Italian organizations in the D.C. metro area joined forces to create the Festa Italiana Foundation, the group that organizes this fun and educational festival each year: Fieri D.C., Holy Rosary Church and the Italian Cultural Society.

We cordially invite you to join us in celebrating our 10th Anniversary with a lively celebration of authentic Italian - and Italian-American - heritage, culture and tradition. Festa Italiana 2008, the largest Italian festival in the D.C. area, and the only one in downtown Washington, will be held on Sunday, June 29th from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at The Holy Rosary Church, Casa Italiana and on Third and F Streets, N.W.

On tap will be plenty of delicious Italian food, live music, dancing, crafts, trade demonstrations, games, performances and events for children and much, much more!

Reverend Lydio F. Tomasi, C.S., Ph.D.
Pastor of Holy Rosary Church

Please e-mail our president, Andrew C. Millunzi, at president@festaitalianadc.com for more information on sponsoring, volunteering for or becoming a vendor at this year's Festa Italiana.

Ci vediamo presto! We'll see you soon!