One of many legacies in the annals of the Italian Workmen’s Club will forever be the unforgettable Festa Italia. Grown and nourished from a healthy past of innocently planned picnics held at a variety of Madison locations, the celebration of our ethnicity grew into an undeniable weekend of pride today known as Madison ’s Premier Ethnic Festival.

The memories of longtime members and residents will quickly carry them back to Olin and Hoyt parks, to name just a few, but for me growing up in the 1940s, the place to be was at Brittingham Park in a blaze of verde, bianca, and russo, the green, white, and red of Italian flags furling where a park was accented with colored Indian blankets spread over the grass, and chairs were set up under the trees to encourage family and friends to gather throughout the day and into evening hours with picnic baskets packed with homemade food.

The Italian Workmen’s Club and Festa Italia welcome the support of businesses sponsoring this event!