A little bit of Italy is coming to the Virginia Beach oceanfront for two days of pasta, pizza, Italian wine, beer, and world-class entertainment, together with family-friendly entertainment like grape-stomping!

With seating for 400 under a giant, decorated tent at the BeachStreetUSA Starfish Pavilion at 17th Street (17th Street Park) people from all walks of life and backgrounds join in one community for a two-day celebration of everything Italian! There is a $2 admission fee.

Host Hotel:

LaBella Italia restaurant will again be providing food under the big tent.  A full menu of pasta, pizza, sandwiches, and desserts, along with wine and beer, will be offered at reasonable prices.  Table seating under the giant tent makes for the perfect atmosphere for dining, singing, and dancing to classic and modern Italian musical selections.  Strolling musicians go from aisle to aisle, giving diners an up-close and personal serenade of Italian tunes we’ve all heard growing up!

New for 2010!  “Tortellini: A pasta whose origin is shrouded in the mists of legend, yet familiar to diners around the world.”  Come learn the art of making this delicious pasta by hand as faculty and students from the Culinary Institute of Virginia, School of Culinary Arts of ECPI College of Technology lend their knowledge and expertise as part of this year’s Festa Italiana on Saturday, September 18.  The class includes all pasta-making ingredients, hands-on instruction, chef hat, and free glass of wine.  Bon appetito!  Class is FULL!

YNot Pizza will present the finals of the YNot Pizza Olympics!  From 3:00pm-4:00pm on Saturday, cheer on the finalists who have advanced from competitions at local YNot restaurants!

Ray Massa’s Eurorhythms are featured nationally at Italian Festivals from Brooklyn, NY, Chicago and through the west coast to Portland Oregon. They are credited with bridging the gap between American & Italian venues for festival entertainment by revitalizing the mystique and romantic excitement of Italian music! The group’s dynamic and energetic style attracts audiences of all ages and nationality. The Eurorhythms’ popularity is attributed to their unique arrangements of songs from Italy’s current Pop Charts like, “Mai Piu Sola”, to great Italian hits of all styles from the 80’s to the 50’s like, “A Chi” or "Tu Vuo Fa L'Americano" and their own Italian version of “Hang On Sloopy”. These great songs are intertwined with the ever popular Italian/American favorites like, Louie Prima’s swinging "Zooma Zooma Baccala", "Ce la luna", & "Buona Sera", along with traditional songs you just can't do without at any Italian function, "That's Amore", "OH Mari” the "Tarantella", polkas, waltzes, mazurkas, etc.!  Ray Massa’s Eurorythms will be featured Friday from 8:30-10:00pm, and Saturday from 6:45-8:45pm.

The “Rat Pack Reprise” will perform Saturday night from 9:00-10:30pm.  This Incredible re-creation of the world famous Rat Pack is not just an amazing homage but is one of the few special productions that will become as timeless as the actual counterparts (Sammy, Frank and Dean). This show will transport audiences back to a time when life was a lot less complicated. The Rat Pack Reprise is a brilliant re-enactment of the "Summit"; this was the period of time at which all three of the magnificent superstars were at the prime of their wonderful careers. This unforgettable trio (Frank, Sammy and Dean) excited audiences nightly in the Copa Room at the Sands Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. With so much talent on stage together, these wild, wonderful performers would set a standard tone for all those who came to Vegas during the swingin' 60's.  The Rat Pack Reprise has re-created these amazing performances with pain staking authenticity! The amazing look, sound, comedic on-stage antics, costuming and vocals by this extremely talented cast will have the audience actually believing this IS Sammy, Frank and Dean! These three actors seem to transcend reality by becoming the characters they depict, coupled with the genuine love and admiration for the characters they portray.

Brave children, youth, and adults may choose to step into the giant grape vat for a little grape stomping!  It’s all in good fun, and your hosts, “Pinot and Grigio,” make strangers feel like old friends as they stomp grapes together!

Admission to Festa Italiana Italian-American Festival is $2.  Children 12 and under are free.

Festa Italiana is sponsored by Culinary Institute of Virginia, School of Culinary Arts of ECPI College of Technology, YNot Pizza, BOBFM, 96X, US Country 106, WNIS, WTAR, Budweiser, Pepsi, the City of Virginia Beach, The Oceanfront Inn, and Integrated Management Group.
Entertainment Schedule

Friday, September 17, 2010:
5:00pm-6:00pm, Strolling Musicians
6:00pm-8:00pm, Tre Bella
8:30pm-10:00pm, Ray Massa’s  

Saturday, September 18, 2010:
10:00am, Cooking Class (Class is FULL!)
Noon-12:45pm, Strolling Musicians
12:45-1:30pm, Moreno Fruzzetti
1:30-2:00pm, Strolling Musicians
2:00pm-2:45pm, Cuor d’ Italia Dance Troupe
3:00pm-4:00pm, YNot Pizza Olympics
4:00-4:45pm, Strolling Musicians
4:45pm-5:30pm, Cuor d’ Italia Dance Troupe
5:45pm-6:45pm, Moreno Fruzzetti
6:45pm-8:45pm, Ray Massa’s Eurorhythms
9:00pm-10:30pm, The Rat Pack Reprise