Festeggiamo!

Take a saint's statue covered with money, add a marching band, food stands, and fireworks, and chances are you'll end up with an Italian festival. The custom of honoring favorite saints with outdoor ceremonies was brought to America more than 100 years ago by the early Italian immigrants. The Sons of Italy 2005 Italian Festival Directory lists almost 400 Italian festivals held in 31 states and the District of Columbia.

One of the largest festivals, the Feast of San Gennaro, is held every September in New York City and attracts about one million people. Other notable festivals include the Festa Italiana, held in Milwaukee every July, the West Virginia Italian Heritage Festival, and the Feast of the Madonna del Soccorso di Sciacca, Boston's oldest continuous Italian festival.