The California wildfire smoke impacting our region and Friday’s rain did not make it an easy day for festival goers in Milwaukee. Festa Italiana kicked off at Henry Maier Festival Park Friday. “This is the place to be,” said Sandy Winard, the executive director of Festa Italiana. “I mean, if you’re not Italian, you’re an official Italian as soon as you walk through the turnstile”

Despite the weather, hundreds of people made their way through the festival to experience Little Italy on the lakefront. “I’m looking forward to the pasta,” said Valerie Dangerfield, who attended the festival. The festival which runs through Sunday offers a variety of Italian wines, cheese wheel pasta, cannoli and every Italian food in between.