The eighth annual Little Italy San Jose festival will pack the historic district’s streets this Sunday in celebration of Italian culture and local history. Here’s the lineup:
THE HONOREES: Members of the Guglielmo family will be on hand as Little Italy and civic leaders mark the Morgan Hill winery’s 100th anniversary with an opening ceremony program and a special exhibit at the Little Italy Museum. Guglielmo wines will be among those poured all day in the Wine Garden.
THE FOOD: Joining Little Italy’s restaurants (Paesano, Henry’s Hi-Life, Poor House Bistro and the Littlest Little Italy’s Bibo’s and Torino Panino) will be several notable South Bay names. Look for booths from Original Joe’s, Sorelle, Locanda Ischi and Locanda Sorrento, plus pizza from La Fenice and Sleight of Hand and gelato from La Copa Loca.
Two social service organizations — the Tricarico Club and the Sons of Sicily — will return to prepare the classic favorites polenta, sausage and sfingi.
THE MUSIC: Entertainment under the Little Italy arch will start with accordionist Cory Pesatauro at 12:15 p.m., followed by Italian jazz artist Vanessa Racci at 1:15. Then those two will pair up for a set at 1:45 p.m. The headliner, acclaimed tenor Pasquale Esposito, will take the stage at 3:15 p.m., followed by the Anthony Nino Lane Band from 5:30 p.m. until the festival’s close.
Opera San Jose singers will perform at the museum at 5:30 and 6 p.m. and at the Italian Cellar Speakeasy at 7 p.m.
THE CARS: The annual Supercars of Italy will showcase 55 masterpieces of Italian automotive design from Ferrari, Lamborghini, Enzo, Pagani and Maserati. They’ll be parked on the Arena Green East for selfie-taking and gawking.
AND MORE: Little Italy Museum tours, train rides, arts and crafts booths and specialty food vendors. When the festival ends, an after-party will begin at the Italian Cellar Speakeasy.
Details: Admission is free. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 5, in Little Italy San Jose, 323 W. St. John St.; www.littleitalysj.com