Santa Lucia Italian Festival

Founded in 1925, the Santa Lucia Italian Festival was created to provide Italian immigrants with a means to preserve and celebrate their cultural traditions in their new surroundings. The event showcases a lineup of live music and dancing as well as a traditional procession, comedy acts, a cannoli eating contest and a lighting ceremony. Since its inception, the festival has developed into a support network, and as more immigrants made their way to United States, the founders saw an opportunity to provide Italians with a sense of familiarity and a reminder of home.