Savoring Bloomfield’s Little Italy Days – August in Pittsburgh
One of the most enjoyable things you can do being a hometown tourist in Pittsburgh is to spend an August weekend at Bloomfield’s Little Italy Days. This year, the Heritage Festival starts on Thursday the 18th and goes through Sunday.
For entertainment, there will be a number of tribute singers and multiple stages for other performers:
Jimmy Sapienza – Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett
The Jersey 4 – Frankie Vallie & The Four Seasons
Billy Mancini – doing my favorite, Dean Martin
Byron Cancelmo – Tom Jones (coming to the Benedum at the end of September)
And, of course, Pittsburgh’s own icon Donnie Iris sings along with the Italian Granati Brothers.
Food & Vendors
Besides a huge array of vendors (plan on sampling a few cannoli), there’s a Miss Little Italy Pageant, Italian Idol competition, and a Celebrity Bocce match. The Italians will be competing against the Irish and Franco Harris gets in on the action.
In addition to food vendors on the street—have I mentioned the cannoli?—, Bloomfield has some truly scrumptious places to eat:
Thai Cuisine may be out of place in Little Italy, but the food couldn’t be better.
Lombardozzi’s Restaurant has been pleasing palates since 1973.
Lot 17 offers food, a cooling beer or a robust Chianti.
There are several more places to dine—from a thick American burger at Tessaro’s to Vietnamese at Pho Minh’s, so don’t plan on cooking supper.
The festival is a great family time. Delve in and enjoy the events, the delectable delights, and most of all, the people. It is, after all, Italian.
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- Bocce – anyone play?
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- Ah, cannoli
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- Dapper Dresser
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- Train rides
Hi Rose Mary,
I’ve heard of this Little Italy festival, but have never been. Italian food is a favorite of mine so I’m sure I’d be in heaven.
Sounds like a wonderful festival.
Events like these are so enjoyable, you get to taste local food, hear good music; What’s not to like about it. Thanks for introducing us to it.
Thanks for enjoying it with me, William! Hope they get a great turn out this week.
Bloomfield’s Little Italy Days look like a lot of fun. That appears to be serious Bocce going on!
They do look mighty serious when playing Bocce, Donna. Then there will be a sudden outburst of huge laughter!
Wowzer, sounds like a great time! Italians know how to party. There are festivals every weekend during the summer here in Toronto, it’s impossible to get to all of them. One of my favourites is AfroFest, which I missed this year – great food, vendors, music (of course) and atmosphere. We do have a couple of Italian festivals, as well as Greek, Latino, South Asian, you name it. Playing tourist in your hometown is the best!
I was sitting beside at Portugla native who now lives in Toronto as I flew to Montana the other day, Krystyna. We were discussing the great diversity of his city. It’s a good example of how multi-cultures can blend together and yet celebrate their distinctions. Hope you get to go to some of them!
Even though I grew up partly in Philadelphia, I’ve never been to Pittsburgh. I guess PA is just such a long state. I love the historic architecture in some of your pictures.
I love that there are so many outdoor festivals in the summer. They are great opportunities to get outdoors and have fun. And fun that there is an Italian Idol contest. My husband is 1/2 Italian, so I’ll send him to compete next year! Lol.
It is a long state, Erica. And I, sadly, haven’t been to Philly since college. We keep saying we’re going and then head a different direction.
Ha! Would love to see your husband in the Italian Idol contest! Go for it!
Boise just had a Basque festival that I just attended for the first time a couple of weekends ago. It’s amazing how each city has its own pockets of culture just waiting to be discovered.
Jeri, I just learned about Basque on a recent DC trip (blog pending). It was great fun–how unique to find that in Idaho! I love Bloomfield Days, but will be in my beloved Montana this week and next, so I’ll miss it. 🙁
Oh no, we just missed this event. Last week, we traveled to Cleveland through Pittsburgh. I love going to Little Italy events, being that both my parents were born in Italy, these events are fun for me and makes me nostalgic for my childhood years. Thank you for sharing these pictures.
You didn’t miss it, Sabrina–it starts on the 18th. Come on back this way and enjoy the fun!
Makes me a little homesick!
One of these times, Jacquie, I’ll find an event you just can’t resist coming back for!
Would love to sample all of the foods!
Alex eats his way along the street. It’s pretty funny.
Sound like a good time. I’ll take a half-dozen zeppoles please.
Come on over, Ken! Now…does Newark have an Italian festival?