Festa Italia in Monterey: A Celebration of Sicilian Heritage, Fishing & Family Tradition 

There are few Monterey traditions that bring together food, music, history and community quite like Festa Italia Santa Rosalia Fisherman’s Festival. Returning to downtown Monterey this September, the beloved three-day celebration honors the Italian and Sicilian families who helped shape Monterey’s fishing community while keeping generations-old traditions alive. From authentic Italian food and lively music to bocce, dancing and the moving Blessing of the Fleet, Festa Italia offers a glimpse into a side of Monterey’s history that is still very much alive today.

2026 Festa Italia: Dates & Times

The 93rd Annual Festa Italia will take place September 11–13, 2026 at Custom House Plaza in Monterey State Historic Park at the end of Alvarado Street just steps from Old Fisherman’s Wharf. The tradition started in 1933 when local Sicilian fishermen donated a statue of Santa Rosalia to the San Carlos Cathedral to pray for safe voyages and bountiful harvests.

Festival Hours:

·      Friday, September 11 (3:00 PM – 9:00 PM): Kickoff evening featuring live music, food vendors, and a lively community atmosphere.

·      Saturday, September 12 (10:00 AM – 9:00 PM): The busiest day, featuring the popular Bocce Tournament at the plaza courts, cooking demonstrations, and headlining musical acts.

·      Sunday, September 13 (10:00 AM – 6:00 PM): The final day includes the continuation of the Bocce Tournament, traditional Tarantella dance lessons, and the closing festivities

·      Admission is FREE!

More Than an Italian Food Festival

While the food is certainly one of the biggest draws, Festa Italia is really a celebration of Monterey's fishing families and their heritage. The festival is also known as the Santa Rosalia Fisherman’s Festival, named for Santa Rosalia, the patron saint of Palermo, Sicily, who became especially important to Monterey’s Sicilian fishing community.

According to Sicilian tradition, Santa Rosalia was born around 1130 and eventually left her privileged life to live as a hermit in a cave on Mount Pellegrino near Palermo. She became the patron saint of Palermo after, according to tradition, her relics were discovered during a devastating plague in 1624. The story says that after her bones were carried through Palermo, the plague ended, and devotion to Santa Rosalia spread throughout Sicily. Sicilian immigrants brought this devotion with them when they came to California. In Monterey, Santa Rosalia became particularly meaningful to the fishermen who made their living on the waters of Monterey Bay.

A Monterey Tradition Since 1933

In 1933, Monterey's Sicilian fishing community established the tradition of honoring Santa Rosalia with a Mass, procession and blessing of the fishing fleet. Francesca (Ferranti) Giamona, Giovanna Balbo, Rosa Ferrante and Domenica Enea are credited with helping establish the Santa Rosalia celebration in Monterey. That original tradition was deeply connected to the dangers faced by fishermen. Families prayed for the safety of those heading out to sea and remembered those who never returned. Today, that history remains an important part of Festa Italia.

The Blessing of the Fleet

One of the most meaningful traditions associated with Festa Italia is the Blessing of the Fleet. During the traditional ceremony, Santa Rosalia is carried in procession from San Carlos Cathedral toward the Monterey waterfront. At the waterfront, the names of fishermen who were lost at sea are remembered, a wreath is placed in their honor, and a blessing is offered for those who make their living on or around Monterey Bay. It is a beautiful reminder that behind Monterey's picturesque waterfront is a working maritime community with generations of history.

Monterey - Once the “Sardine Capital of the World”

One of the most fascinating pieces of Festa Italia's history is its connection to Monterey's famous sardine industry. Sicilian immigrants played an important role in establishing Monterey's fishing community and their traditions, food and culture became intertwined with the city's rise as one of the country's most important fishing centers. During World War II, Monterey became known as the “Sardine Capital of the World.” Festa Italia's organizers specifically recognize the contribution of the Sicilian immigrants whose families helped build this chapter of Monterey's history. Today, visitors can still see reminders of that fishing heritage throughout the waterfront and around Old Fisherman's Wharf.

Another Italian Tradition: Bocce

If you've ever wanted to experience a little authentic Italian culture while visiting Monterey, don't overlook the bocce tournament. Bocce has long been associated with Italian-American communities, and it has become one of Festa Italia's annual traditions. The tournament takes place at the bocce courts at Custom House Plaza during the festival weekend. It adds a wonderfully local feel to the celebration, and it's a great example of how traditions brought from Italy and Sicily have become part of Monterey's own cultural identity.

Come Hungry

Festa Italia is definitely an event to attend hungry. Festival delectable favorites include arancini (Italian rice balls), calamari, deep-fried prawns, pasta and meatballs, eggplant Parmesan sandwiches, steak and sausage sandwiches, pizza, cannoli, Italian cookies and coffee, Italian ice and more. There are also beer and wine offerings, making it easy to settle in, enjoy the music and spend a leisurely afternoon at the festival.

Music, Dancing & the Tarantella

In addition to Italian cuisine and live music (look for performances by Pasquale Esposito, Mike Marotta & the Italian All Stars, The Money Band (playing Saturday) and new 2026 acts like the Lost and Found Band), traditional Italian dancing are central to the celebration. One particularly fun tradition is the Tarantella. In recent years, the festival has offered free Tarantella lessons, giving visitors the opportunity to learn the traditional Italian dance themselves. It's one of those experiences that makes Festa Italia feel less like something you're simply watching and more like something you're participating in.

A Celebration That Keeps Monterey's History Alive

Perhaps the most special thing about Festa Italia is that it isn't simply a festival celebrating the past. It is a way of keeping Monterey's cultural heritage alive for future generations. The Festa Italia Foundation is a nonprofit, volunteer organization, and the festival remains free to attend. The event brings together longtime Monterey families, visitors and newcomers to celebrate the traditions that helped shape the community. For longtime residents, Festa Italia can be a celebration of family history. For visitors, it offers an opportunity to experience a fascinating part of Monterey that extends far beyond the area's beaches and scenic coastline. Located next to Old Fisherman's Wharf, Festa Italia makes an easy addition to a day exploring Monterey's historic downtown and waterfront.

So whether you're coming for the food, the music, the dancing, the bocce, or simply to learn more about the families and traditions that helped shape Monterey, the festival is a wonderful reminder that some of the Peninsula's most treasured experiences are rooted in the stories of the people who came before us. Viva Santa Rosalia!