By Donna Cornelius
Kay Bruno Reed, (pictured) owner and head chef of Birmingham’s Café Iz, has fond memories of growing up in a closely knit Italian family – especially of making bread with her grandmother on Saturdays and eating together on Sundays.
Today, she’s extending the fun to a new generation by teaching her granddaughters how to make pasta.
“I don’t want our traditions to go by the wayside,” Reed said.
Because of her dedication to keeping Italian culinary customs alive, she was happy to be asked to help with the newest cultural festival in town: Festa Italiana, set for June 15 at Sloss Furnaces. The event is the project of Birmingham’s Italian America Heritage Society, of which she’s a member.
Tina Savas, festival co-chairman, is a friend of Reed’s from their elementary and high school days and called Reed more than a year ago to ask her to participate. Other event leaders are co-chairman Andy Graffeo, Denise Lovoy Koch, Michelle Lorino, Deanna Cataldo, Tina Liollio, Lindsey Noto King, Traci Bratton, Anne Marie Urrutia Whatley, Isabella Sutherland, Kerri Sutherland, Kristen Letcher and Marena Molay Messina.
“The purpose of the Italian American Heritage Society of Birmingham is to encourage, promote and preserve Italian culture and heritage with its activities centered upon Italian traditions,” Savas said. “We are thrilled to bring Festa Italiana to the Birmingham community to celebrate and honor our heritage and traditions.”
Those who attend can look forward to eating and drinking their way through a day of fun – and learning something about Italy.
The main stage emcee will be media personality Niki Noto Palmer, a Birmingham native and University of Alabama graduate who’s looking forward to coming back home for this inaugural event. The festival also will feature live musical performances, showcasing Italian-inspired acts.
Attendees can try authentic Italian cuisine, with more than 40 merchandise vendors and dozens of food vendors serving up a wide variety of favorites ranging from espresso to gelato. Reed plans to make arancini and tiramisu, and her cousin, Mary Lynn Bruno, plans to serve homemade focaccia squares. Also on the menu are pizza, sandwiches, cannoli, Italian sausages and much more.
Those providing tasty treats include the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, the Italian American Heritage Society of Birmingham, Tre Luna Bar & Kitchen, Uncle G’s Pizza, Da Big Italian, Pazzo Big Slice, D&M Snow Cones of Alabama, Vecchia Pizzeria, Graffeo Brothers Sausage, Cafe Iz, Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Arnone’s Italian Sausage, Slice Pizza & Brew, Nor-Joe Imports, Dryft Coffee and Luca.
To wash everything down, attendees can choose limoncello or Italian beers, sodas and wines.
There’s lots more to experience at the festival:
• Vendors at the event include Walk the Way Pilgrimages, Elemental Designs, The Italian Cookie Company, Happy Links, Cottage Industry Soap Company, De la Cruz and Beauty Studio by Elvia, Be the One by Bernice, Joyful Bird Designs, Designs by GG Decatur LLC, The Fro Co, Rhondkreations, Rami Awwad, Vita Pacifica, Simply Infused Olive Oil Shop, Soaps of Healing Properties, Costa Olive Oil, Emily’s Heirloom Pound Cakes, Cafe Iz, Vecchia Mercato and D&M Snow Cones.
• The Sugo Showdown is for cooks who think their recipe for this traditional tomato sauce has what it takes to take top honors. Judging kicks off at 4:15 p.m., and the winners will be announced at 7:10 p.m. on the main stage.
• The Spina Stomp Grape Stomping Competition celebrates the traditional method for extracting juice from grapes, which dates back to ancient Rome at about 200 B.C. Stomping competitions, hosted by Louis Ardovino and Abe Boackle start at 3:55 p.m. Teams of Stompers and Swabbies will face off against each other to produce the most grape juice in a three-minute stomp session.
• Festa Italiana Villaggio Culturale is a replica of an Italian village crafted by the Tortorigi and Traina family. The quaint setting features a fountain surrounded by essential elements of Italian life: a church, a bakery and a museum among them. Resources for ancestry research and information about dual citizenship also will be available. Entertainment includes Italian singers, an accordion player and jugglers. At 5:15 p.m., a procession around the village will honor Italy’s patron saints alongside musicians, singers and dancers.
• Other features are a children’s village, bocce ball tournament and Italian auto display. A scholarship winner will be announced on the main stage during the event. And one lucky attendee will have the opportunity to win a trip for two that includes nine nights in Italy, roundtrip airline tickets, transportation and breakfast throughout the trip. This prize is valued at $11,000. Raffle tickets will be on sale online and at the Italian American Society booth for $50.
Kay Reed said that she and other festival supporters “are getting more and more excited as it approaches.”
“I’ve gotten friends involved in the sugo competition,” she said. “And we’re really hoping to get lots of younger people involved and to be proud of their heritage.”
The festival is set to run from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. on June 15 at Historic Sloss Furnaces. General admission is $10 in advance and $15 at the gate. Children 10 and younger can enter free.
For more information or to register for competitions, visit festaitalianabham.com. To learn more about the Italian American Heritage Society of Birmingham, go to iahsbham.com.
