Little Italy Festival
little italy festival annual festival take place labor day weekend clinton indiana festival run lift little italy festival town board city clinton year little italy festival queen grape crowned well king regina queen february meeting clinton lion club proposal made build attractive planter elm water street spot occupied road barrier new wabash river bridge built short distance south barrier erected prevent driver using old roadway first project estimate set approximately committee named investigate possibility time area television station asked clinton chamber commerce submit representative photograph could used broadcast community glance photographer daily clintonian asked provide image also member lion club project committee prompted publication several newspaper article citing clinton lack identity urging cooperation lion proposed project reader responded variety suggestion included connection city history coal mining current wealth italian restaurant member lion committee considered various proposal chose italian theme decided abandon planter idea italian theme seemed natural neighborhood city north heavily italian earlier city history lion began prepare festival invited representative local organization participate approximately thirty group represented next planning meeting amid sketch suggested fountain planter speakerband platform general old world scenic setting delegate chose name project lift latter word meant acronym little italy festival town well indicating delegate hope festival would give community lift soon meeting group incorporated lift inc festival endured annual attendance typically varies sixty thousand eighty thousand festival went hiatus due covid pandemic plan return next year immigrant square square created represent immigrated clinton statue man joe airola called luigi created later coal fountain constructed front luigi bull head also called il toro drinking fountain created joe airola joe envisioned statue help brotherinlaw presented concept mayor turin airola felt bull symbol turin major city located piedmont area northern italy little italian house also known la piccolla casa house believed built ricauda family owned house sold joseph p beno lift committee purchased house martha costellos effort preserve house led open public house feature garden italian immigrant photo furniture household product admission little italy festival free including midway attraction cost money food gamesrides wagon ride tour consumer stand little italy festival officially kicksoff pm friday labor day little italy festival parade run labor day feature throughout weekend include limited lambrusco cup wine garden spaghetti eating contest grape stomping vicki west dancer queen court lift auction bocce ball tournament italian marriage water clinton optimist club great italian duck race la piccolo casa little italian house mercatowinery wagon ride tour clinton landmark including wine garden little italian house coal fountain coal town museum lion club salami cheese wheel trip italy drawing ring drawing bocce club drawing monday night firework finale strolling musician eating bagna càuda drinking water bull head pictured good luck little italy festival homepage