ITALIAN DAY FESTA!
August 12, 2011
Delicious Ethnic Food, Entertainment Galore & Fireworks!
The BEST Family Italian Event in the Country!


Click Here for Italian Day Festa Discount Ticket Information
Delicious Italian Food
No need to pack a picnic basket on this day! Visit "La Cucina" where you'll find plenty of delicious Italian cuisine by:
Rizzo's Malabar Inn
Aroma Italiano
Paradise Catering
Del's Italian Restaurant
Joyce's Italian Cookies - Don't forget the delicious italian desserts!
All-Day Entertainment (Noon-10:00 pm)
| Pavilion D-2 | |
| Noon - 2 p.m. | Mirella the Musician |
| 2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. | Amici |
| 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. | John Bigante |
| 6: 30 p.m. | Egidio Faiella |
| Hootin' Holler' Gazebo Stage | |
| Time To Be Announced | Candida |
| Hillside Theater Stage | |
| 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. | Nick Fiasco |
| 5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. | Jimmy Sapienza |
| 7:00 p.m. - 8:15 p.m. | Franco Corso |
| 8:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. | Pure Gold |
| 10:00 p.m. | FIREWORKS! |
We end our evening by "painting the sky" with our beautiful fireworks display at 10:00 p.m. (weather permitting) accompanied by the music of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Lou Monte and other Italian favorites!
Additional Entertainment:
WCNS Radio - Live Broadcast from Noon - 3:00pm, hosted by Columbus 500 member John Longo.
Entertainers & Bios:
Pure Gold
8:30 - 10:00 p.m. Hillside Theater
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With signature acappella vocals and four-part harmonies, Pure Gold delivers diverse sounds and musical styles with a stage presence that transcends audience ages and backgrounds. Bringing the golden age of American vocal harmony to performances from Radio City Music Hall to The Waldorf Astoria and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Pure Gold doo-wops their way through the decades, performing material from the 50s, 60s, and 70s, as well as a blend of blues, standards and original material to highlight their unique talents and range.
Pure Gold is synonymous with quality. The highly-polished band orchestrates the perfect mood with music, adding ambiance and excitement to any affair. Pure Gold has performed at countless engagements from corporate events to wedding receptions, birthday parties to anniversary celebrations. Pure Gold has been afforded the opportunity to play for The National Football League (NFL), The National Hockey League (NHL), Heinz USA, and the Young Presidents Organization.
Pure Gold has kept close company with some of music’s biggest legends like Chuck Berry, The Temptations, Smokey Robinson, The Four Tops and The Isley Brothers. Thirty million viewers hung on every note as this eight-piece vocal/instrumental group provided accompaniment for the nationally televised PBS specials Doo Wop 50, Doo Wop 51 and Rock, Rhythm & Doo Wop. As the first non-inductees to play at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Pure Gold’s overwhelming success prompted an invitation to return as the first group to perform there on New Year’s Eve. |
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Franco Corso
7:00 - 8:15 p.m. Hillside Theater
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With a voice that melts hearts and instills Passion, Franco Corso, "The Voice of Romance" continues to mesmerize audiences worldwide. His distinctive and powerful Baritone Voice has been called Elegant and Provocative. |
Jimmy Sapienza
5:30 - 7:00 p.m. Hillside Theater
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Jimmy Sapienza's "Five Guys Named Moe" have quality and punch, plus all the spark of a tightly polished jazz combo. They swing! They rock! Appreciative audiences applaud their expert abilities and musicianship. They even played for the President of the United States!
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Amici
2:30 - 4:30 p.m. Pavilion D-2
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Amici from West Virginia is a group playing Italian and Italian American Favorites in a contemporary style. Their name is the Italian word for friends, and their music is highly energetic and gets the audience movin'! They have been performing at Italian Festivals, events, galas, opera parties, dances and gatherings since 1984. They have performed in West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Washington, D.C. and Georgia, to name a few places. They are known to many festival goers in various places and their name has become a household word.
Be sure to catch Amici and you may be dancing yourself all the way back to Italia!
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John Bigante
5:00 - 6:30 p.m. Pavilion D-2
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Italian vocalist John Bigante can entertain a crowd with the songs that he learned as a young man in Abruzzo, Italy. John originally left his home town of Gamberale at the age of twenty.
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Egidio Faiella
6:30 p.m. Pavilion D2
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Offering the truly beautiful sounds of Italian and Italian-American music as performed on the mandolin, Egidio continues the musical legacy of the Faiella family. Born and raised in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, this American-Italian mandolinista vividly remembers the beautiful Italian melodies from his childhood days visiting his grandparents. After inheriting his late grandfather's mandolin, Egidio began to seriously play the mandolin in 1996.
Like many children and grandchildren of Italian decent, he was raised on American culture and music. Egidio makes it clear that although he has recorded and produced many different styles of music throughout his life he says "...nothing remotely compares to the feelings I experience when I play my mandolin...I close my eyes and feel like a little boy again...It's the GREATEST feeling" Preview a sample of Egidio's music at our Columbus 500 Store. (Click Here) |
Nick Fiasco
4:30 - 5:30 p.m. Hillside Theater
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Nick Fiasco, the New Voice of Class, Romance and Swing!
Performing your favorite hits from Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Tony Bennett, Bobby Darin and more! |
Mirella the Musician
Noon - 2:00 p.m. Pavilion D-2
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Mirella’s devotion to Italian music has been with her since she started playing the piano and accordion at the age of 8. In addition to the piano and accordion, she also plays the organ and drums. . For over 30 years, Mirella has delighted people with her music and during that time she developed an extensive repertoire of traditional Italian and American melodies. Her dynamic and energetic style attract audiences of all ages and nationalities. Mirella has four CDs available, “Musica Allegra” (“Happy Music”), “Musica Bella” (“Beautiful Music”), “Musica del Cuore” (“Music from the Heart”) and “Si Balla Con Mirella” (“You Dance with Mirella”) . Anyone interested in her CDs or booking inquiries should contact her at 412.364.7887 or email: mirellathemusician@hotmail.com |
Candida
Time TBA - Hootin' Holler' Gazebo Stage
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Candida is an extremely talented 20 year old singer/songwriter from Latrobe, Pa. She is an up and coming artist who is wowing audiences with her voice. Not only is her voice capturing audiences, but her personality off stage is what is making her stand out to be a true artist. Candida is keen to Country music and is known as being blessed with a huge voice.
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Meet the "Legends of Wrestling"
Beginning at 5:00 p.m. Pavilion E - 2
Meet and Greet with Bill Cardille (WJAS-AM Radio) and the Legends of Wrestling
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World Champion
Bruno Sammartino
2010 Dapper Dan Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient |
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Battling Chuck Martoni |
Frank Durso |
Referee Bucky Palermo |
Click Here for Italian Day Festa Discount Ticket Information














