Organizers of the inaugural Maryland Italian Festival from Sept. 29 to Oct. 1 have announced this year’s schedule, and that Galbani Cheese will be the event’s title sponsor.
The festival will be hosted by the Society of Italian American Businessmen, a Maryland-based charitable organization that supports educational, family, and child services, as well as mental health and addiction services. Organizers expect the event to be the largest Italian festival in Maryland.
The Galbani Maryland Italian festival will take place at the Harford County Equestrian Center in Bel Air, featuring a full schedule of entertainment with live music, a bocce tournament, cooking demonstrations, and more.
“At our core, Galbani’s goal is to share our love of rich Italian cheeses with the rest of the world. By celebrating Italian culture and sharing our cheeses at the Galbani Maryland Italian Festival, we get to do just that,” said Jessica Ruth, Galbani’s Event Marketing Manager, in a statement. “We’re excited to collaborate with the Society of Italian American Businessmen to bring Italy’s rich heritage and traditions to this great state.”
Rest assured, the premier Italian cheese producer wants all attendees to have as gouda time as possible, or else they’ll feel very bleu. There won’t be any holes in the schedule, and they promise the entertainment will be anything but grating.
The festival kicks off National Italian-American Heritage Month, and coincides with SIAB’s 10th anniversary and Harford County’s sestercentennial (250th) anniversary celebration.
“The family-friendly festival will include Italian food and retail vendors, carnival rides and midway games, national and regional entertainment and a piazza serving wine, beer and liquor,” reads the press release. “In addition, SIAB’s annual Bocce Tournament will be folded into the festival allowing teams to compete for big cash prizes on Saturday and cheer on athletes from the Special Olympics as they compete in a multi-state regional tournament on Sunday.”
“With the festival’s wide array of activities, there is something for everyone all while immersing themselves into our rich Italian culture,” SIAB President Joe Papa said in a statement. “Guests will have an abundance of entertainment and activities they can enjoy in. From wine seminars to cooking demonstrations, you might even go home with a few new culinary skills.”
The entertainment schedule, taking place at the Kris Konstruction Music Stage, is as follows:
Friday, September 29
- 5:00 p.m. | Sounds of Italy
- 6:00 p.m. | Louis & JoAnn & The Uptown Band
- 8:00 p.m. | Ray Massa’s Eurorhythms
Saturday, September 30
- 11:00 a.m. | Sounds of Italy
- 12:00 p.m. | The Monaldi Brothers
- 2:00 p.m. | Julie Anna Gulenko
- 3:30 p.m. | Ray Massa’s Eurorhythms
- 5:30 p.m. | Louis & JoAnn & The Uptown Band
- 7:00 p.m. | Ray Massa’s Eurorhythms
- 8:00 p.m. | The Atlantic City Boys, A Tribute to Frankie Valli
- 9:30 p.m. | DJ Victor T Discoteca Italia
Sunday, October 1
- 11:00 a.m. | St. Margaret Church Mass
- 12:30 p.m. | Larry Noto & The Little Big Band
- 1:30 p.m. | Galbani Celebrity Cheese Stacking for Charity
- 2:00 p.m. | Andrea Amoroso
- 3:00 p.m. | Julie Anna Gulenko
- 4:00 p.m. | Ray Massa’s Eurorhythms
- 5:30 p.m. | The Sicilian Tenors
As for culinary entertainment, the schedule at the La Cucina Galbani Cooking Stage is as follows:
Friday, September 29
- 6:00 p.m. | Spasso Wine Seminar
- 7:30 p.m. | Galbani Celebrity Chef Marco Sciortino Cooking Demo
Saturday, September 30
- 12:00 p.m. | Tutto Fresco Chef Nicholas Sebekos Cooking Demo
- 1:00 p.m. | Delicato Wine Seminar
- 2:00 p.m. | The Local Chef Zack Trabbold Cooking Demo
- 3:00 p.m. | Bel Air Liquors Wine Seminar
- 4:00 p.m. | Mangia with Michele Cooking Demo
- 5:00 p.m. | Voga Italia Wine Seminar
- 6:00 p.m. | Galbani Celebrity Chef Marco Sciortino Cooking Demo
Sunday, October 1
- 1:00 p.m. | Voga Italia Wine Seminar
- 2:00 p.m. | Di Pasquale’s Italian Marketplace Zia Maria
- 3:00 p.m. | Delicato Wine Seminar
- 4:00 p.m. | Galbani Celebrity Chef Marco Sciortino Cooking Demo
More is expected to be announced as the festival draws closer on the festival’s dedicated website, which you can find here.
Tickets to the Galbani Maryland Italian Festival start at $10 and are free for kids 12 and under. To purchase individual tickets or a VIP Villa for the day or weekend, click here.
