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SEATTLE, WA— Celebrate Italian heritage and culture at The Italian Festival, taking place from 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 26 and 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 27 as part of Seattle Center Festál in the Seattle Center Armory Food & Event Hall and Fisher Pavilion.
As a celebration of all things Italian, the festival marks its 39th year of bringing Pacific Northwest Italian-American heritage to Seattle Center through food, music, wine, and family tradition, presented by Festa Italiana.
The Italian Festival, taking place at Seattle Center, the cultural heart of the city, brings activities and entertainment throughout the Armory Food & Event Hall and Fisher Pavilion. Inside the Armory, guests can cheer on teams at the Isernio’s Bocce Tournament, watch kids compete in the Tutta Bella Pizza Toss, and try their hand at Venetian mask painting in Tino’s Cortile. New this year, the Armory Balcony features Pazienza in Italia, an exhibit of paintings by Seattle artist Joel Patience with original works, prints, and gifts available for purchase throughout the weekend. Near the International Fountain, the Italian Vehicle Show returns for one day only, Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., showcasing Italian automobiles, scooters, and motorcycles from marques such as Ducati, Ferrari, and Maserati.
The Peroni Main Stage in Fisher Pavilion hosts live Italian music throughout the weekend, headlined by the Anthony “Nino” Lane Band, while hourly La Cucina Galbani® cooking demonstrations and the World-Famous Tutta Bella Grape Stomp take place on the Fisher Terrace rooftop, and two Wine & Beer Gardens keep the party going with sets from The RigaTones and La Mezzanotte Trio. Guests can also browse a marketplace of vendors offering Italian food, wine, pastries, and gifts, plus a chance to win the festival’s raffle grand prize: a first-class trip for two to Tuscany.
“The Italian Festival at Seattle Center is a family-friendly explosion of music and activity with a hint of garlic always wafting in the air,” said Dennis Caldirola, producer of Festa Italiana. “Come for the food, stay for the fun!”
Seattle Center Festál promotes cultural awareness by welcoming the broader public to engage, learn, and celebrate alongside each community, fostering greater understanding and respect. Over the decades, Festál has grown into a cornerstone of Seattle Center’s cultural programming, creating space for communities to share their histories, traditions, and contemporary expressions on their own terms.
About Festa Italiana
The Italian Festival (Festa Italiana) has celebrated Italian heritage and culture in the Pacific Northwest for nearly four decades, marking its 39th year in 2026 as part of Seattle Center Festál. The festival is produced by Festa Italiana, an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting Italian heritage and culture through education, preservation, and celebration. Learn more at FestaSeattle.com.
Information on the festival is available at SeattleCenter.com and FestaSeattle.com.
About Seattle Center Festál
Seattle Center Festál is a unique public program series of 25 free cultural festivals, each offering its own celebration of heritage and identity.
These community-produced events provide a range of engaging programs and activities to cultivate a deeper understanding of our region’s diversity through immersive performances, food, arts, and educational programming. Collectively, the festivals welcome approximately 400,000 visits annually, generate an estimated $30 million in economic activity, support more than 250 jobs, and engage thousands of volunteers, artists, and small business vendors.
Seattle Center Festál is presented in partnership between Seattle Center and 25 community-based organizations, with support from the City of Seattle, Seattle Center Foundation, and 4Culture's Sustained Support and Free/Reduced Access programs. Additional support for Festál 2026 is provided by 2025 charitable donations from the Snoqualmie Tribe, and ArtsFund's Community Accelerator Grant funded by Allen Family Philanthropies.
About Seattle Center — The Cultural Heart of the Pacific Northwest
Seattle Center is a 74-acre civic, arts, and cultural gathering place in the heart of Seattle and is home to more than 30 partner organizations, including Climate Pledge Arena, KEXP, Museum of Pop Culture (MOPOP), Pacific Northwest Ballet, Seattle Opera, Pacific Science Center, SIFF, and many others.
Anchored by world-class attractions, historic venues, public art, and a dynamic calendar of free and affordable events centered around the iconic International Fountain, Seattle Center brings together arts, culture, sports, and community year-round.
As a department of the City of Seattle and anchor of the Uptown Arts and Cultural District, Seattle Center serves residents from across the Puget Sound region alongside visitors from around the world.
In partnership with Friends of Waterfront Park, Seattle Center provides operations, maintenance, and public safety services for Waterfront Park, while Friends leads park experience, programming, and stewardship along Seattle’s downtown waterfront.
Seattle Center welcomes nearly 12 million visits annually, generating nearly $3.3 billion in total economic activity, supporting 19,400 jobs, and producing more than $37 million in local tax revenue for the City of Seattle.
With the support of its official partners—Alaska Airlines, The Climate Pledge, Pepsi, Symetra, T-Mobile, and WaFd Bank—Seattle Center is the most-visited arts and cultural destination in the Pacific Northwest.
Contact
Jordan Van Beek | jordan@whyforgood.com | 425.638.2293
