A new festival celebrating Italian heritage and Rochester’s ties to Italian culture will debut in Spencerport in July.
Organized by brothers Andrew and Domenico Colaprete, Ciao Ragazzi! Festa D’Italia will transform the Erie Canal area into an Italian-style piazza. The Rochester natives were inspired to create the festival after visiting their father’s hometown of Celano, Italy, four years ago.
“It took that trip for us to realize how much of our upbringing reflected the way people actually live in Italy,” Andrew Colaprete said. “It gave us a deeper appreciation for our family traditions and inspired us to celebrate that culture with the Spencerport and greater Rochester communities.”
Festivalgoers will be able to sample menu items from local vendors including Capone’s Italian Eatery, Yeah Baby Bakes and Forno Tony. An Aperol Spritz station also will be featured.
“I love the idea of someone enjoying an Aperol Spritz along the canal on a summer day, paired with a great porchetta sandwich, while Italian music plays in the background and the community comes together,” Andrew Colaprete said.
When is the festival?
Ciao Ragazzi! Festa D’Italia will be held at Spencerport Firemen’s Field on Saturday, July 18, and Sunday, July 19, 2026.
Festival hours are:
What activities will be at the festival?
The festival will feature:
The Super Tombola game, scheduled for the evening of July 18, will offer prizes including q.b. Cucina artisanal pasta-making tools and kitchenware, a pair of JetBlue round-trip tickets and two tickets to see “The Lion King” at West Herr Auditorium Theatre.
The FIFA World Cup final watch party begins at 3 p.m. July 19, with the match shown on a 16-foot screen. The Colaprete brothers said the event was a natural fit, even though Italy did not qualify for the tournament.
“At the end of the day, we’re celebrating Italy’s favorite sport, and it still feels very much aligned with an Italian festival,” Andrew Colaprete said. “Soccer was such a big part of our upbringing. I remember waking up on Sunday mornings with matches on TV while my dad cheered and my mom cooked sauce.”
The festival also will include family-friendly activities for children. Creating a multigenerational event was important to the organizers.
“When we were in Italy, I had just had my son,” Domenico Colaprete said. “It sparked a desire to pass down our culture, and we want to honor the traditions we grew up with.”
How much are tickets?
Admission is:
For more information, visit the festival’s website.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: New Italian festival to debut in Spencerport with food, music, World Cup watch party
Reporting by Erin Jones, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Erin Jones, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle | USA TODAY Network
