The 2026 Columbus Italian Festival will fill the grounds of St. John the Baptist Italian Catholic Church from Oct. 9-11, drawing about 35,000 attendees each year, according to an event spokesman. Organizers set the schedule, activities and admission price at the church grounds, where the three-day gathering carries the theme “Roma Eterna – All Roads Lead to Rome.”
Who Sets the Schedule
Live music and entertainment, cuisine, wine and desserts, cooking demonstrations, local vendors, cultural exhibits, church tours and Sunday Mass will all be on the program. The activities share one organized site and timetable, and the church’s religious presence is part of the program, not separate from it. The festival website describes Rome as a city “where every road truly leads back to its rich history and vibrant spirit.”
Two new additions will join the grounds: bocce courts and Piazza del Bambini, a children’s area. Organizers scheduled the bocce courts’ ribbon-cutting for 5:15 p.m. Oct. 9, and the Columbus Italian Festival Bocce Classic will run there throughout the weekend. Piazza del Bambini will offer activities for younger festivalgoers. The event’s public space, in other words, comes with a planned program and designated places for play.
Access Has a Price
Single-day admission costs $15; a three-day pass costs $30. Children under 12 get in free. Festivalgoers can park free at Columbus State Community College and take a free shuttle to and from the event throughout the weekend, with pickup at the parking garage at 534 E. Long St. Adult entry has a stated price, while parking and transport options are free. The source gives no further information about discounts or other access arrangements.
The festival opens from 5 to 11 p.m. Oct. 9, runs from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Oct. 10, and closes from noon to 7 p.m. Oct. 11. Sorelle, a trio of Ohio sisters and finalists on season 23 of NBC’s “The Voice,” will perform at 7:45 and 9:45 p.m. Oct. 9. Entry and participation follow the event’s stated terms: a set schedule, a ticket price and a shuttle route.
A Parade Through the Neighborhood
At 1 p.m. Oct. 11, the festival parade will travel from Goodale Park through Italian Village and into the festival. Columbus Blue Jackets player Dante Fabbro will serve as grand marshal, followed by a High School Marching Band Competition. Organizers have set a meet-and-greet with Blue Jackets defenseman Dante Fabbro for 2 p.m. Oct. 11. Crew Cat from the Columbus Crew is expected the evening of Oct. 9 and the afternoon of Oct. 11.
The event spokesman’s estimate of about 35,000 attendees each year gives the festival’s scale, while the schedule lays out what visitors can do once they arrive. The source identifies no grassroots organizing, mutual-aid effort, election or legislative proposal connected to the festival. Instead, it describes a church-hosted gathering, commercial admission and a lineup of entertainment and cultural activities. More information and tickets are available at columbusitalianfestival.com.
Belinda M. Paschal, Columbus Dispatch features and entertainment reporter, published the article Oct. 6, 2026, at 5 p.m. ET. The publication said it may earn a commission from purchases through links on the page, but its editorial recommendations are made independently of that compensation.