'When in Rome...'
Hundreds of county residents spent Friday evening listening to traditional Italian songs while eating sausage, pasta and meatballs at the Butler Italian Festival.
Marco Fiorante, who is from Rome, kicked off the festival by encouraging people who are interested to look further than the common Italian traditions many Americans enjoy.
“It's more than just the food and the pizza,” Fiorante said. “We have a whole rich history of art and architecture.”
The third Butler Italian Festival takes place this weekend and will go on until 6 p.m. Sunday. Butler's Main Street will be filled with tents selling food and merchandise as well as the green, white and red colors of the Italian flag.
Charmaine Fetterman, events coordinator for the Butler Sons and Daughters of Italy, was part of the festival's planning. She made plenty of Italian food to sell at the festival, and the line of people waiting to order Friday stretched the length of multiple tents on the street.
Prior to the festival, Fetterman said she hoped the food would be appreciated.
“I would think they would have record numbers this year if we have a good weekend,” Fetterman said. “I just want to see a bunch of people out enjoying my delicious food.”
The festival attracts many people who don't come from Italian heritage.Jeff Firestone, of Butler, said he isn't Italian, but he attended the festival this year and in years past for the food on sale.“The food's not too bad,” Firestone said.Jim Ditmer, of Butler, said he has Italian heritage, and enjoys that the festival includes other aspects of Italian culture.“Naturally, it's good PR for Italy,” Ditmer said. “It's a good thing.”Throughout the weekend, there will be more performers singing traditional Italian songs, as well as some American bands making their way to Main Street from a little closer than Italy. Festival spokesman Michael Dongilli said the blend of local musicians and Italian performers is what makes the Butler festival special.Additionally, Saturday night starting at 6 p.m. will be the meatball-eating contest between Butler police officers and Butler firefighters, and the Star of Italy pageant will take place Sunday afternoon.The crowd of people watching Fiorante perform Friday provided him with a warm, Butler welcome, and some people even approached him for an autograph after his show.Fiorante said he performs at different Italian-American events around the country, and is always glad to see people celebrating their heritage.“It's nice to see a lot of people who have family that came to America a very long time ago,” Fiorante said. “People are proud of their Italian heritage.”
