The 33rd annual La Festa Italiana will be held Saturday through Monday of the upcoming Labor Day holiday weekend, Aug. 30-Sept. 1, on Courthouse Square in downtown Scranton.

The three-day festival is an end-of-summer tradition that annually attracts thousands of visitors. Festival hours will be noon to 11 p.m. on Aug. 30 and 31, and noon to 9 p.m. on Labor Day, Sept. 1. Admission will be free.

People come from throughout the tri-state area to sample the food, music and culture that characterize the Italian heritage.
Approximately 70 vendors will offer a wide variety of foods and displays. Fine Italian cuisine is cooked and served daily, presenting festival goers with the dilemma of which tempting dish to try next.
Continuous live entertainment for both young and older tastes will be presented on two stages during the afternoon and evening of each festival day. This year’s featured performer is comedian and musician Pete Barbutti, a Scranton native who has performed in Las Vegas and appeared on national television programs. He will take the stage on Aug. 30 at 7 p.m. and again on Sept. 1 at 7 p.m.
The Frank Sinatra Tribute featuring Chris DiMattio is scheduled for Aug. 31 at 6 p.m., featuring Chris DiMattio, the Marywood University Jazz Band directed by Bill Weber, and Ken Brader on trumpet. At 8 that evening “The Poets” will make their annual appearance, while at 10 p.m. a gala fireworks display will be held, sponsored by the City of Scranton.
 A variety of other acts are scheduled, including “King Henry and the Original Showmen,” New York show band “Los Vega,” tenor Pat Aita and “The Hi-Lites,” the Ferdie Bistocchi Memorial Orchestra, “Take Five,” “Italian Continentals,” the “Gerard Mayer Show Band,” the Gene Dempsey Orchestra, the University of Scranton Jazz Band, the “Ringold Pops Orchestra,” local dance troupes, jugglers, strolling musicians and other entertainers.
The annual Mass in Italian will be celebrated at a new time this year, at 10 a.m. instead of noon, on Aug. 31 in St. Peter’s Cathedral, located one block from the festival site. Mass organizer is Msgr. Constantine Siconolfi. Principal celebrant and homilist will be Scranton Bishop Joseph F. Martino. The Mass will also be televised live by CTV: Catholic Television of the Diocese of Scranton. The Knights of Columbus will be present for the event, while music in Italian will be provided by the Dunmore Community Chorus.
Chris DiMattio, La Festa Italiana board president of LaFesta Italiana of Lackawanna County, is serving as event chairman. He notes that construction in the courthouse area is anticipated to be completed in time for the festival, which will provide more space for festival attractions, adding, “The entire square will be more accessible, and more entertainment will be possible as well.”
The event is organized by a board of directors of some 20 volunteers, plus at least a dozen other volunteer committee members who handle planning, setting up and conducting all aspects of the festival, from lighting, seating, traffic control and vendors to safety, grounds, and entertainment scheduling, said DiMattio.
La Festa Italiana has been held on Courthouse Square since its inception in 1976, when it was conducted in conjunction with the nation’s bicentennial celebration. “The festival’s concept came about during the bicentennial when various organizations throughout the country were encouraged to conduct events showcasing their ethnic heritage,” DiMattio mentioned. Since 1981, the event has been held during Labor Day weekend, but in previous years was a one-day event, held on Columbus Day.
For more information and updates, interested persons may visit the festival website at www.lafestaitaliana.org.
Entertainment to be featured on the showmobile, to be set up on Linden Street, includes:
Saturday, Aug. 30 -
Noon, Opening Ceremonies 
12:15 p.m., Ferdie Bistocchi Memorial Orchestra 
1:30 p.m., Civic Dance Studio
2 p.m., Hi-Lites, with Pat Aita
3 p.m., Arabesque Dance Academy
3:30 p.m., “Take Five”
5 p.m., “Los Vega”
7 p.m., Pete Barbutti
9 p.m., University of Scranton Jazz Band
 
Sunday, Aug. 31 -
10 a.m., Mass in Italian in St. Peter’s Cathedral
Noon, “The Ringold Pops”
1:30 p.m., “King Henry and the Showmen”
3:30 p.m., United Sports Academy of Gymnastics
4 p.m., “The Moments:
4 p.m., Strolling Paci Band
5:30 p.m., Ballet Theatre of Scranton
6 p.m., Frank Sinatra Tribute featuring Chris DiMattio
7:30 p.m., Dani-Elle Kleha
8 p.m., “The Poets”
10 p.m., Fireworks show
  
Monday, Sept. 1 -
Noon, Gene Dempsey Orchestra
1 p.m., Juggler and magician Al Grout
1:30 p.m., “Italian Continentals” with Mike Lanza
3 p.m., Juggler and  magician Al Grout 
3:30 p.m., “Gerard Moyer Show Band” 
5 p.m., “Los Vega” 
7 p.m., Pete Barbutti 
 
Entertainment to be presented on the Piazza dell’Arte Stage on Spruce Street will include: 
Saturday, Aug. 30
Noon Jim Cullen
2:30 p.m., Janice Gambo
5 p.m., “Funk n’Gumbo”

Sunday, Aug. 31 -
Noon, “Solo Tu”
2:30 p.m., Sarah Marie and Joseph
5 p.m., “The Fortunes”
 
Monday, Sept. 1 -
Noon, Deano Noto
2:30 p.m., “Fuzzy Park Band”
5 p.m., “Cherry On Top”