Italian Festival

Italian Festival Wilmington Delaware

Saint Anthony's Italian Festival is one of the largest attended festivals in New Castle County every year.  The festival is sponsored by St. Anthony's of Padua and proceeds benefit Saint Anthony's of Padua grade school.

Each year the festival celebrates a different piece of Italian culture.  Past years have featured different regions of Italy, but the 2019 Italian festival celebrates Italy as a whole and the Italian lifestyle.  This is the 45 Anniversary of the Italian festival.  For additional information, visit their home page here.

Italian Festival Dates and Hours

Sunday, 6/9: 3-10:30PM
Monday-Friday, 6/10-6/14: 6-10:30PM
Saturday, 6/15: 4-10:30PM
Sunday, 6/16: 2-8:30PM

Location:

901 N DuPont St.
Wilmington, DE 19805

Admission Information

Admission Pricing:
Ages 14-61: $5/day
Under age 14: FREE (when accompanied by parent/guardian 18 or older)
Over age 61: FREE

8-Day Passes: Available for $12 pre-Festival (at parish office through Friday; 6/7) & for $15 on-site

Visa/MasterCard/Discover/Festival Gift Card accepted

Purchase your 8-Day Passes & Gift Cards now and SAVE!

8-Day Passes: Pre-Festival price is $12.00 (vs. $15.00 on-site at the Festival).

$25 Gift Card: Pre-Festival price is $22.00

$50 Gift Card: Pre-Festival price is $42.00

Purchase securely here

2019 Entertainment Schedule

Entertainment Schedule: 6:00-10:30PM Weekdays (with breaks)/4-10:30PM Opening Sunday & Saturday (with breaks)/4-8:30PM Closing Sunday (with breaks).

Saint Anthony's Italian Festival Food

One of the great things about the Italian Festival in Wilmington is the incredible food that is available.  If you enjoy Italian food, you are in for a treat!  Here's a rundown of some of the festivals food attractions this year.

Cafe Nona Stroda

Piazza dining featuring grilled sausage with fresh peppers and onions sautéed in olive oil, cooked porkette (roast pork) served abbudanza, chicken with green peppers, onions, mushrooms, grilled and made the old-fashioned way in homemade tomato sauce, homemade meatballs, vegetarian Festival sandwich, famous Broccoli Rabe, String beans & potatoes (traditional style), daily salads, made-to-order pizza, nightly pasta specials (including pasta faglioli, tortellini with blush sauce, rigatoni with sausage), chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks, Serpe’s Bakery pastries, bar area serving a wide variety of beer, wine, and specialty items.

La Piazza

Offering delicious specials including homemade gnocchi, chicken marsala, and veal parmigana. La Piazza Penne Pasta, as well as hot or sweet sausage and pepper sandwiches, porkette sandwiches and delicious broccoli rabe.  Savor vino from a selection of fabulous rossoas, biancos and rosatos from Italy. Prefer a birra alla spina (beer on tap)? Maybe you would like to choose from a selection of cocktails, our very own bevanda di specialita (specialty drink) or Limoncello?  Be sure to visit the Porch Bar and enjoy beer and Italian water ice-themed drinks. Fabulous selections of Italian pastries, biscotti, cookies, Spinach and Pepperoni Bread, as well as cappuccino and espresso, made fresh daily on the Pastry Porch. Returning this year on the porch: sugar-free options and flavored iced coffees.

Cafe Antonian

Sandwiches & Main Courses
Spezzato – house specialty of veal, mushrooms and peppers
Sausage & Peppers – delicious combo of sweet sausage, peppers & onions
Meatball – crowd pleaser, traditional favorite
Porkette – perfectly seasoned, thinly sliced porkette in an au jus
Chicken Antonian – a Café Antonian exclusive of grilled chicken breast topped with sauce and mozzarella cheese
Eggplant Sandwich – delectable grilled eggplant, sauce and ricotta cheese
Hot Dog
Pizza – homemade, Silician style
Tossed Salad
Nightly Specials
Succulent Spaghetti & Clams
Hearty Pasta Faglioli
Delicious Pasta & Ceci
Desserts
Assorted Italian pastries: including favorites like cannoli, tiramisu, sfgoliatelle, éclairs, and more
Fresh Fruit Medley
Hand-dipped ice cream
Refreshing Lemon Ice

Chef Giuseppe Furio's Best of Italy Cafe

Noted Wilmington Chef Guiseppe Furio returns this year with the Best of Italy Cafe, with a menu of delicious dishes highlighting the culinary richness of the the various regions of Italy!  Chef Guiseppe’s menu will feature cuisine inspired by the agricultural bounty of the stunning Italian landscape.  Visit nightly in the cultural area (La Piazzetta) next to the newly expanded Bellini Bar!

The Ballad Room featuring La Casa Pasta

Offering  traditional homemade spaghetti & ravioli dinners, meatballs, Chicken Parmesan meals, Sausage Cacciatore, Braciole, as well as combos.   Enjoy your meal in the air-conditioned Ballad Room or outside in our outdoor seating area.

Extended dining hours from 4:30PM-9:30PM (8:30PM on closing Sunday).

Scott Street Vendors and Food Court

The Festival was proud to welcome the following businesses, partners, friends and sponsors to our Scott Street area in 2017:

• ATM Services By WSFS Bank (2 ATMs in mobile unit @ 9th & Scott Sts.)
• Bernie’s: The Original Italian Water Ice
• Birra e Vino (Beer & Wine) @ Scott St. Bar
• Caffé Gelato (featuring gelato/muffaletta/shrimp scampi)
• Carman FIAT (at 9th & DuPont Sts.) [planned]
• Delaware Lottery
• Dippin’ Dots Ice Cream
• Italian Candy & Nuts
• Italian Festival Souvenirs
• Luigi & Giovanni Caterers & Specialty Foods
• Midway Rides/Games & Kiddie Land Rides by Majestic Midways
• Padua Academy Parents Association Funnel Cakes
• Panzarottis
• Serpe & Sons Bakery
• St. Anthony of Padua Grade School/St. Anthony’s Grade School Alumni Association (NOTE: Italian Festival Gift Cards sold here)
• St. Anthony’s Hot Dog Stand
• St. Anthony’s Panzarottis
• St. Anthony’s Super 50/50 Raffle Stand
• Saint Francis Healthcare

The Festival is also happy to welcome the following businesses, partners and friends to our event this year:

• Italian American Press, Radio, & Media (Radio Italian Style)/Delaware Valley Italian-American Herald, a publication of Today Media (adjacent to Il Mercato)
• Order of Sons of Italy-Delaware
• Our Divine Inspirations (in La Piazza)
• Olevano Olive Oil (located in front of the rectory on DuPont St.)
• Sister Cities Wilmington (adjacent to Il Mercato)
• Smiling Faces Face Painting by Jennaye (located on Kiddie Land Midway)
• WDEL 1150AM (in the  Ballad Room, featuring Allan Loudell) [date: TBD]
• 99.5 WJBR (10th & DuPont Sts) [Mon; 6/13]
• WSTW 93.7FM (10th & DuPont Sts.) [Thurs; 6/16]
  

Little Italy

Little Italy is an area of Wilmington near Saint Anthony's church.  It is bounded roughly by 4th Street to the south, Union Street to the west, Clayton Street to the east, and Pennsylvania Avenue to the north.

Like many other cities, Little Italy in Wilmington was historically a place where many Italian-Americans settled and built their lives.  Little Italy in Wilmington still features many restaurants, deli's and other small businesses owned by Italian-Americans.

Saint Anthony of Padua Church

Ground breaking ceremonies for Saint Anthony of Padua church were on March 8th, 1925.  The celebration of the first Mass was on Palm Sunday, March 28th 1926.