Fourth annual Festa Coloniale Italiana to be held next week-end

On Saturday, September 10, The San Francisco Italian Athletic Club welcomes the Bay Area to North Beach for the 2011 Festa Coloniale Italiana, an annual event that celebrates the rich Italian and Italian-American heritage that has existed in San Francisco for generations. This year marks the fourth year of the festa, which began as a celebration of the club's 90th anniversary in 2008, and continues to be San Francisco's only Italian festival.

This year's celebration also includes the commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy. Along Stockton Street between Union and Filbert streets, there will be continuous live Italian music, plenty of beer and wine, and the most mouth-watering food this side of Siena, including sausage and peppers, pasta, deep-fried calamari, meatball sandwiches and cannoli. Vendors will be selling Italian- related products. Inside, the club's main ballroom will be transformed into an Italian piazza complete with a fountain and live music. You will also find a variety of Italian products and services, and more of our delicious food.

The third-floor Parkview room, which overlooks the festa and Washington Square Park, is being transformed into a wine- tasting venue featuring some of the Bay Area's finest wineries. The Festa Coloniale Italiana is a family-fun event that is free and open to the public. The festa runs from 11:00 a.m.- 6:00 p.m. For additional information, please contact Tom Torriglia at 415-440-0800 or by e-mail at: sfiacfesta@yahoo.com