Photo by Rachael Patin
Maggie McCarron
Staff Writer
The Piazza Dei Santi was filled with food, fun and gelato as students flocked to the Festa d’Italia event Saturday.
The line for food snaked all the way from the piazza to the Finnegan Fieldhouse parking lot. Before the food was served, everyone turned to face the American flag and sang the National Anthem in honor of those who fell 20 years ago on 9/11.
Classic Italian music played over the loud speakers, with contemporary songs mixed in from time to time. A few students danced around the piazza once it had been cleared of long lines.
Students enjoyed pasta, sandwiches and pizza for dinner and finished off the meal with a cone of gelato or apple pie. There were also multiple flavors of San Pellegrino drinks available.
Tables were decorated like those in Italian restaurants and students mingled with one other as they made their way through the piazza.
Exc!te, the campus organization that hosted the event, was pleased with the success it received, junior Madeleine Van Haute said.
“I’m so happy with how Fest went,” said Van Haute. “We had a lot of people come out and everyone seemed to really enjoy it. Everything just went perfectly. We really didn’t know how people would respond due to the lack of events last year.”
“Honestly, I didn’t think there was going to be much going on at all,” said sophomore Caroline Sanborn. “But actually, I’m impressed with the turnout, ambiance and food.”