Of Fr. Casto Marrapese’s many initiatives, the creation of the Italian Festival stands out as the one that most profoundly strengthened both Saint John the Baptist Church and the broader Italian community.
Many will recall when the Catholic Bishops of the United States proclaimed 1980 as the Year of the Family—a call to recognize and respond to the growing challenges facing the unity and sanctity of the home. Deeply concerned for his parish community, Fr. Casto Marrapese envisioned an extraordinary event that would instill pride in Italian heritage while reinforcing a commitment to faith and strong moral values.
He shared this vision with a group of parishioners, and after thoughtful discussion and consideration of several ideas, the decision was unanimous: to establish an annual Italian Festival. What began as a parish-centered celebration on the steps of Saint John the Baptist Church quickly grew into one of Central Ohio’s most beloved cultural traditions.
Over the decades, the Columbus Italian Festival has expanded into a vibrant, multi-day event, welcoming tens of thousands of attendees each year. From its humble beginnings, it has evolved to feature authentic Italian cuisine, live entertainment, cultural traditions, and the beloved Italian Festival Parade and High School Marching Band Competition.
Yet at its core, the festival remains true to Fr. Casto’s original vision—bringing families together, celebrating heritage, and strengthening the bonds of faith and community for generations to come.
Faith – Family – Friends
To clearly express the purpose and goals of the festival, Fr. Casto proposed the theme: “Faith – Family – Friends.” In a later parish bulletin article, he explained the meaning behind this motto:
“The reason is simple—these three elements represent the fundamental characteristics of the Italian people and their culture.”
The inaugural Columbus Italian Festival was scheduled for the weekend of September 20–21, 1980. Organizers selected the Lausche Building at the Ohio State Fairgrounds as the host site—an ideal location for its central setting, accessibility, and ability to accommodate what was expected to be a large and diverse crowd.
Careful planning was at the heart of the festival’s early success. A chairperson and dedicated committee were appointed for each area of the event, ensuring that every detail—from food and entertainment to logistics and hospitality—was thoughtfully managed. Overseeing the entire operation was General Chairman Frank Oliverio, whose leadership helped bring Fr. Casto Marrapese’s vision to life.
What began as a well-organized, community-driven effort quickly exceeded expectations, laying the foundation for what would grow into one of Central Ohio’s most cherished cultural traditions.
After months of intense preparation, expectations were high—but the reality far exceeded anything the organizers had imagined. Fr. Casto and the planning committee believed that drawing four to five thousand attendees would be a tremendous success. Instead, more than 10,000 people came out to celebrate, generating an impressive $26,000 profit for the church.
The overwhelming turnout brought with it an unexpected side effect—significant traffic congestion along 17th Avenue and even backing up onto I-71, a testament to just how large and enthusiastic the crowd had become.
The following day, the excitement carried into the pages of The Columbus Dispatch, where Section B featured coverage under the headline:
Overflow Crowd Celebrated Italian Heritage”, it was stated, “Columbus’ first Italian Festival at the Lausche Building was such a success that it suffered from an unusual pain: too many people, causing the fire marshal’s ordering the closing of the building a couple of times.
To prevent similar challenges in the future, organizers quickly arranged to move the festival to the larger Multipurpose Building beginning in 1981. Just weeks later, at a recognition celebration honoring the volunteers, Fr. Casto Marrapese reflected on the festival’s success, saying, “My heart is filled with great joy and gratitude to God for giving us the inspiration and the strength to do what we have done.”
As the years went on, the festival continued to grow in both size and significance. In 1999, the Columbus Italian Festival found its permanent home on the steps of Saint John the Baptist Italian Catholic Church, bringing the celebration back to the heart of the community where it all began.
Today, the festival stands as one of The Midwest’s premier cultural events, welcoming more than 35,000 visitors each year. Held annually over Columbus Day weekend, it brings the Italian community—and the entire city—together for a three-day celebration filled with exceptional food, live entertainment, and a rich display of Italian heritage and tradition.
This year, we are proud to celebrate the 46th year of the Columbus Italian Festival on October 9th, 10th, and 11th! Andiamo!
Columbus Italian Festival Chairpersons and Festival Hall of Fame
Columbus Italian Festival Past Chairs
- 1980 – Frank Oliverio*
- 1981 – Vic Pasini*
- 1982 – Benny Andreoni*
- 1983 – Judge Frank Redax
- 1984 – Pat DeNardo*
- 1985 – Jack Conie, Jr.
- 1986 – Carl Festa*
- 1987 – Carl Festa*
- 1988 – Mario Macioce II & Gilda Savko*
- 1989 – Alex Andrietti*
- 1990 – Donna Salvatore* & Judge Frank Reda*
- 1991 – Gene D’Angelo* & Helen Jaconette*
- 1992 – Nick Colley*
- 1993 – Gene D’Angelo*
- 1994 – Mike Cua
- 1995 – Pat Rossetti
- 1996 – Richard DiPaolo*
- 1997 – Mary Russo Ulbrich
- 1998 – Jim Behal*
- 1999 – Patrick Tiberi
- 2000 – Toni Gillespie & Angelo Nocera
- 2001 – Ray Massa & Antonio D’ Alberto
- 2002 – Gerry Paglione & Margaret Panico-Harn
- 2003 – Charles Agriesti* & Joe Mercurio
- 2004 – Bruna Brundige & Vince Militello
- 2005 – Bruna Brundige & Vince Militello
- 2006 – Tony Sciambi & Margaret Panico-Harn
- 2007 – Margaret Panico-Harn & Pat Rossetti
- 2008 – Joe Contino
- 2009 – Joe Contino & Bill Brundige
- 2010 – John Contino & Andy Dominianni
- 2011 – John Contino & Andy Dominianni
- 2012 – Landa Masdea Brunetto & Carol Ristucci
- 2013 – Landa Masdea Brunetto & Carol Ristucci
- 2014 – Landa Masdea Brunetto & Carol Ristucci
- 2015 – Rick Brunetto & Tina Solazzo
- 2016 – Rick Brunetto
- 2017 – Michael Cua & Mario Cua
- 2018 – Michael Cua & Mario Cua
- 2019–Present – Festival Board
* Deceased
Columbus Italian Festival Hall of Fame
- 2002 – Joseph Agriesti
- 2002 – Monica Ventresca
- 2002 – Carmella Ristucci
- 2002 – Rev. Casto Marrapese, P.I.M.E.
- 2003 – James Behal
- 2003 – George Clifford
- 2003 – Julius Maselli
- 2004 – Benny Andreoni
- 2004 – Adam Carfagna
- 2004 – Pat DeNardo
- 2005 – Helen Jaconette
- 2005 – George Paesano Sr.
- 2005 – John Piacentini
- 2005 – Charles Agriesti
- 2006 – Landa Masdea Brunetto
- 2006 – Carolyn Panico
- 2006 – Danny La Penna
- 2006 – Mary Connell Quaranto
- 2007 – John Fabbro
- 2007 – Margaret Panico-Harn
- 2007 – Gilda Romas Savko
- 2007 – Judge Frank Reda
- 2009 – Annabelle Clifford
- 2009 – Joanne Merendo
- 2010 – Mike (Natale) Maratea
- 2011 – Builders of the Santa Maria: Joe Colak, Danny Ristucci, Nick Savko, Merico Faiella, William Pavetta, John De Stefano, Carl Ventresca, John De Matteo
- 2011 – Adam Montemarano
- 2012 – Joseph Pishitelli
- 2012 – Rev. William A. Metzger
- 1980–2013 – The Women Volunteers of the Italian Festivals
- 2013 – Teresa Marzetti
- 2014 – Claudio Pasian & the San Giovanni Dancers
- 2015 – Bud Fuller
- 2015 – Vincent Militello
- 2015 – Patrick Rossetti
- 2015 – Amalee Soteriades
- 2016 – John Contino
- 2016 – Carol Ristucci
- 2016 – Ken Monte
- 2017 – Bob Stoll
- 2017 – Anthony Sciambi
- 2018 – Mary Jo Zimmerman
- 2019 – Rick Brunetto
- 2019 – Tina Solazzo
Taste of Italy Past honorees
- Berwick Manor Party House
- Borgata Restaurant
- Cardone’s
- Gallo’s Kitchen
- Gallo’s Tap Room
- Jimmy Corrova and TAT
- Milano’s Restaurant
- Mike Rosati
- RDP Food Service (DiPaolo Family)
- San Giovanni Dancers
- Savko and Romanelli Families
- Stella Chapin of Casa di Pasta
- The Militello / Carfagna Families
- Villa Milano
Festival Pastoral Leadership & Administration
- Rev. Casto Marrapese, P.I.M.E. (deceased) – Festival Founder
Pastor, 1980–1990 | The Ohio State Fairgrounds - Msgr. Mario A. Serraglio
Pastor, 1991–1998 | The Ohio State Fairgrounds - Rev. William A. Metzger
Pastor, 1999–2013 | Church Grounds, Italian Village - Rev. Antonio Carvalho
Church Administrator, 2014–2015 - Deacon Felix Azzola & Rev. Anthony Lonzo
Church Administrators, 2015 - Rev. Anthony Lonzo
2016 - Rev. Robert Kitsmiller
2017–2019 - Deacon Frank Iannarino
Church Administrator, 2021–2022 - Rev. Andrew Kozminski
2023 - Msgr. Frank Lane
2024–2025 - Rev. Vincent Nguyễn
Pastor, 2025–Present