Established in 2016, the Little Italy San Jose Italian Festival returns this Sunday, Oct. 4, as a daylong tribute to Italian culture, local history, and one man who helped shape the neighborhood. The free event runs from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the intersection of Little Italy Way and Sharks Way, with organizers dedicating this year's milestone edition to Chris Bertucelli, the La Villa Delicatessen co-owner and community leader who died at age 47 in February.
According to the East Bay Times, the festival will honor Bertucelli with an onstage tribute during the 11:30 a.m. opening ceremony. Organizers describe the gathering as the 10th annual celebration of Italian culture and local history, and per Little Italy San Jose, the event was established in 2016 and has grown each year since. Admission remains free, a detail confirmed by EIN Presswire, which also notes the festival will run from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Live Music, Alfresco Jazz And A Street Dance Party
The entertainment schedule stacks several acts across the afternoon. Per the East Bay Times, accordion artist Cory Pesatauro opens with a set at 12:15 p.m., followed by jazz vocalist Vanessa Racci at 1:15 p.m., with the two joining forces for a combined performance at 1:45 p.m. San Jose tenor Pasquale Esposito, described by the paper as an acclaimed vocalist and local resident, takes the stage for an alfresco concert at 3:15 p.m.
The day winds toward a street dance party when the Anthony Nino Lane Band performs from 5:30 p.m. until the festival closes, according to the same report. Little Italy San Jose's own entertainment page lists an official Italian Museum after-party running from 6 to 9 p.m., while the East Bay Times separately reports that a different after-party begins once the festival ends and runs at the Italian Cellar Speakeasy until 9 p.m. — a continuation of the format used during the 2025 edition, when, according to the Mercury News, the after-party also took place at the Italian Cellar Speakeasy once the main event wrapped.
New Murals Honor Italian Heritage Near The Highway 87 Underpass
This year's festival also debuts new artwork celebrating Italian heritage, installed at the Highway 87 underpass on the edge of Little Italy, the East Bay Times reports. EIN Presswire adds that the murals showcase Italian history alongside opera legend Irene Dalis, and were designed in collaboration with the local community under the direction of artist Roberto Romo as part of the Stitching Districts initiative.
The murals arrive as the neighborhood continues to lean into its stated mission. Per Little Italy San Jose's own materials, the organization aims to honor the contributions of Italian-American immigrants to Santa Clara County by maintaining a neighborhood, museum and cultural center that will display local history and offer hands-on cultural experiences.
Food Vendors, A Car Show, And A Nod To Goombah's
Hungry festivalgoers will find a broad spread of vendors. The East Bay Times lists Paesano, Henry's Hi-Life, Poor House Bistro, Italian Cellar and Bibo's among the food booths, alongside South Bay restaurants including Original Joe's, Sorelle, Locanda, Holy Cannoli and La Fenice Pizza. Last year's lineup, as reported by the Mercury News, included Original Joe's, Sorelle, Locanda Ischi, Locanda Sorrento, pizza from La Fenice and Sleight of Hand, and gelato from La Copa Loca.
Car enthusiasts have their own draw at Arena Green East, where the Supercars of Italy showcase will display Ferrari, Lamborghini, Enzo, Pagani and Maserati vehicles, plus U.S.-made cars in the mix this year, according to the East Bay Times. EIN Presswire reports that the 2026 lineup pairs Italian supercars and motorcycles with American muscle through Goombah's Car Club, a group the East Bay Times notes Bertucelli had long supported. Little Italy San Jose describes the Supercars of Italy attraction as a free, fenced display, and last year's version, per the Mercury News, featured 55 vehicles from those same marques.
A Decade Of Growth, With Tens Of Thousands Expected
Beyond the cars and cuisine, the festival includes Little Italy Museum tours, train rides, arts-and-crafts booths and specialty food vendors, the East Bay Times reports. Organizers at Little Italy San Jose say the event now draws an estimated 20,000 to 25,000 people, a scale reflecting how far the celebration has come from its 2016 origins — though actual 2026 turnout has not been independently verified beyond that organizer estimate.
For a neighborhood built around honoring Italian-American history in Santa Clara County, this year's festival carries extra emotional weight. The tribute to Bertucelli, woven into the opening ceremony before the music, cars and murals take center stage, underscores how personal this 10th-anniversary milestone is for the Little Italy community.
