About 35,000 people are expected at St. John the Baptist Italian Catholic Church, 168 E. Lincoln St., when the 2026 Columbus Italian Festival opens Oct. 9. The crowd returns each year for a parish event, not a government program or tax-funded subsidy. Volunteers and a community keep it going.
The three-day festival runs Oct. 9-11 with the theme “Roma Eterna – All Roads Lead to Rome.” The festival website describes Rome as a city “where every road truly leads back to its rich history and vibrant spirit.” Organizers say the theme honors Italy’s capital as a hub of culture, faith, art and tradition.
What’s on the Menu
Live music and entertainment, authentic cuisine, wine and desserts, cooking demonstrations, local vendors, cultural exhibits, church tours and a Sunday Mass will fill the program. Faith sits alongside the food. That’s the point.
Two new features stand out this year: bocce courts and Piazza del Bambini, a children’s area with activities for younger festivalgoers. The courts’ ribbon-cutting is set for 5:15 p.m. Oct. 9. The Columbus Italian Festival Bocce Classic will run there throughout the weekend.
Entertainment and Local Draws
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. The festival parade starts at 1 p.m. Oct. 11 at Goodale Park, travels through Italian Village and ends at the festival. Columbus Blue Jackets player Dante Fabbro will serve as grand marshal. Then comes the High School Marching Band Competition. Fabbro, a defenseman, will also hold a meet-and-greet at 2 p.m. that day. Crew Cat from the Columbus Crew is expected on the evening of Oct. 9 and the afternoon of Oct. 11.
Tickets, Hours and Getting There
A single-day ticket costs $15, while a three-day pass costs $30. Children under 12 get in free. Hours run 5-11 p.m. Oct. 9, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Oct. 10, and noon to 7 p.m. Oct. 11.
Visitors won’t pay for parking. Festivalgoers can park for free at Columbus State Community College and take a free shuttle to and from the event all weekend. The shuttle picks up at the parking garage at 534 E. Long St. Tickets and details are available at columbusitalianfestival.com.
The Columbus Dispatch published its report Oct. 6, 2026. It noted that it may earn a commission from purchases made through links on its page, and said its editorial recommendations are made independently of that compensation.
Why This Matters:
A festival that draws roughly 35,000 visitors a year, built around a church and funded largely by ticket sales, vendors and volunteer effort, shows how much civic life can operate without a government hand on the wheel. Vendors, performers and the surrounding neighborhood stand to benefit from a weekend of foot traffic generated by the parish and its partners. The free shuttle and partnership with Columbus State Community College offer a practical, private-minded fix for a parking problem. The festival’s blend of faith, family and tradition reflects the community institutions conservatives argue hold neighborhoods together. Events like this make the case that local, voluntary organizing often delivers what larger programs promise.