Sons of Italy Italian Festival 2009

The 16th Annual Sons of Italy Italian Festival, hosted by The Sons of Italy Lodge #2662, will take place Saturday & Sunday, October 10th & 11th at Broadway at the Beach in Myrtle Beach. Festival hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is free.

The festival will feature Italian food & desserts, continuous music, Italian-themed souvenirs, a free children's activity table, arts and crafts vendors, beer, wine and more! The food tent will be serving ravioli, sausage and pepper heros, and Italian meatball subs while the souvenir booth will contain a full line of kitchen items including espresso sets, decorated oil bottles, aprons, Italian-themed mugs and beaded wine bottle ornaments. Desserts at the festival include Italian ices, Zeppolis, Cannollis, cookies, and biscotti.

There will also be a free activity table set-up for children and the children's souvenir area will feature clothing for infants & toddlers, coloring books, stickers, Italian word books, beach balls, and Italian teddy bears.

Headlining entertainers at the festival include classical and contemporary Italian tenor Aaron Caruso and international performing artist Natalie Pinto. Other performers include Tony Posillico & Frank Gigli and Larry Tanelli with The Tony Torre Orchestra. Check back for a complete entertainment line-up.

The Sons of Italy Lodge #2662 was established sixteen years ago in Myrtle Beach along with the annual festival. Starting out as a one-day event in the parking lot of the Inlet Square Mall, the festival has now grown in size and takes place over Columbus Day weekend.

After years of fundraising efforts, the Lodge opened their own building two years ago on Highway 707 on Moss Creek Road. Work continues on a second building which will add an additional 2,500 square feet. The current building features a restaurant & lounge, two regulation bocce courts, horseshoes, shuffleboard, Italian card game nights, and more. The organization continues to be dedicated to preserving and promoting Italian heritage and culture. Membership is open to Americans of Italian descent and social memberships are available for non-Italians.

For more information about the festival, membership, or hall rental, please call 843-215-2662.

While at the festival, be sure to stop by GrandStrandOnline.com's booth to learn more about our website. We will have a ring toss game set-up for kids and will have a drawing for free movie tickets to the Grand 14 Theater and a gift certificate to Isle of Candles in Pawleys Island.