While grand prizes of the past ranged from coal, cows, chickens, and cars, this year’s grand prize is cash ($1000) with additional prizes of $500, $100, and $50. The winning tickets will be drawn on Saturday, August 1, and winners need not be present. Tickets are available now from parishioners or at the church rectory, and, of course, more will be sold at the festival.

Besides cold hard cash to be won, prizes are plentiful this year with raffles for gift baskets, lottery trees, and an amazing gas grill donated by Sugar and Scanlon Funeral Homes. Hourly 50-50 drawings, Plinko, Pull Tabs, Grocery Game, and the ever popular Cake Booth are always crowd pleasers.

Festival Italiano 2015’s menu is guaranteed to satisfy each and every taste bud! Italian cuisine (lasagna, meatballs, meatball subs, eggplant, sausage sandwiches, pizza, fried dough), charcoal-barbecued chicken dinners, and other popular favorites (hot dogs, hamburgers, fries) will be available. Desserts (pie, cake, strawberry shortcake, ice cream, sno-cones), beer, soft drinks, and coffee complete the list of gustatory delights!

Little festival-goers will have a blast in Kiddieland which will feature a Dunking Booth this year. (Father Greg Kreinheder will sit in the “hot seat” hoping to avoid a cold dunking on Saturday evening!) Balloon animals, face-painting, and Critters (stuffed animals) will keep kids of all ages happy.

Last year’s most popular attraction, the White Elephant Sale, will return with gusto! An overwhelming amount of donations has been pouring in since late May. This is an excellent opportunity to shop for great finds! The parish center is jammed with furniture, luggage, household items, books, games, holiday decorations, tools, dishware, and jewelry.

Music is always a part of any great festival, and this year’s event will showcase Sounds of Brass on Friday from 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. and Lou’s All-Stars from 7 p.m. -9 p.m. Men of Music will entertain on Saturday from 5 p.m. until closing.

Everyone is invited to attend Festivale Italiano! The festival will be held on Friday, July 31, and Saturday, August 1. On Sunday, August 2, a chicken barbecue only will take place at noon till sold out.