2023 Columbus Italian Festival: What to know

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Columbus Italian Festival returns for another year and WBNS-10TV is proud to be serving as one of their media sponsors. 

The three-day event runs Friday, Oct. 6 – Sunday, Oct. 8 in the streets surrounding St. John the Baptist Catholic Church. 

Here’s what you need to know about the 2023 Columbus Italian Festival:

Friday, Oct. 6 from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 7 from noon to 11 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 8 from noon to 7 p.m.

$10 at the door; free for ages 12 and under with adult admission. Weekend passes are available for $15 and includes three general admission tickets (one for Friday, Saturday and Sunday). 

You can preorder tickets here.

Free shuttle parking is available at the Columbus State Community College lot at East Spring Street and Jefferson Avenue. Red, white and green banners & event parking signs will be posted at the entrances and exits to the lot.

The shuttle buses will be available at the following times:

• Friday – 3:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.
• Saturday – 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m.
• Sunday: 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Public paid parking is also available at the State Library, located at 274 E. 1st Ave.

Handicap parking will be available at the Capital City Awning lot on 4th St. across from Smith Bros. and also at the meters along 4th St. across from the festival entrance.

Street Players: Their four-piece rhythm section comprised of keyboards, bass, drums, and guitar, have toured the U.S. several times performing at some of the nations largest festivals. The band’s experienced horn section is comprised of three musicians; two versatile brass players, playing trumpet, flugelhorn and trombone and one musician playing soprano, alto, tenor, baritone saxophone and woodwinds. Together they have performed with the 4 Tops, Temptations, Drifters, Coasters, and Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.

Louis Prima Jr. and the Witnesses: Louis Prima Jr. and the Witnesses are bringing Prima music into the 21st century. Not content to sit on the legacy they so passionately protect, LPJ and the band are taking a page from his father’s playbook, by wailing “Prima-Style” for the future.

Brian Michael Smith, “Being Frank with Tony”: Columbus native Brian Michael Smith is well known as the area’s premier performer of the great American Standard. Accompanied by the 17-piece Rick Brunetto Big Band, the Columbus Italian Festival proudly presents the music of two of the greatest Italian-American singers of all time, Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett.

Click here to see the complete entertainment schedule

Click here for the Festival Map & Vendors

The date of the first Italian festival was set for the weekend of Sept. 20 and 21 in 1980. The location chosen was the most central and accessible possible, the Lausche Building on the Ohio State Fairgrounds. 

In 1999, the Columbus Italian Festival was moved to its current home on the grounds of St. John The Baptist Italian Catholic Church. As one of Columbus’ premier festivals it now annually attracts over 35,000 visitors. 

You can read more about the festival’s history here.

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