Gianna Cousine
Staff Writer
Red, white and green filled the Piazza dei Santi as students gathered at 6 p.m. on Sept. 21 for the Festa D’Italia, a fun-filled celebration of Italian culture and cuisine.
Senior education major Ian Lebano, who helped to organize the Festa D’Italia, said that the event had always been very popular during his time at the university.
“For (the) four years that I’ve been here, it’s been a big event every single year…It’s one of our biggest events. We love doing it,” Lebano stated. “It’s super fun, (and) it brings a lot of people together.”
Attendees enjoyed authentic Italian food, and many people flocked to get gelato, a classic Italian dessert, from a stand in the Piazza. A table at the other end sold raffle tickets for numerous prizes, including Italian gift bags and a $25 dollar gift card.
The party was accompanied by lively Italian music, which drew the crowd onto the dance floor as the night went on.
For people with ancestral ties to Italy, the event helped them reconnect to their roots. Graduate counseling major Jillian Lemcke said, “I’m Italian, so it feels like I have a little piece of home with me.”
Thanks to the hard work of the Exc!te team, the Festa D’Italia was a smashing success. From the food to the music, everything blended perfectly to create one beautiful night.