There’s Nowhere Better To Feast On Italian Food Than Arkansas’ Little Italy
Most folks don’t know about the community of Little Italy in Arkansas, which is a shame. The area is home to first, second, and now third generation Italian immigrants who have preserved the art of pasta and sausage making. Every year, on the first Sunday in October, the community hosts the Little Italy’s Annual Italian Festival. Let’s dig into this delicious festival.
Little Italy was founded in 1915 at Arkansas' last Catholic immigrant colony, just outside of Little Rock. The community has grown since the first five families (Belotti, Busato, Granato, Perrini, and Segalla) began the community but the culture is still well preserved.
This year will be Little Italy's 91st Annual Italian Festival. The festival will take place on Oct. 14th, 2018 from 11 am - 3:30 pm at the St. Francis Catholic Church. The church is located at 33223 Highway 300, Roland, AR 72135.
The original Old World recipes are used for the festival, which means all the spaghetti is handmade.
The main feature of the festival is an all-you-can-eat spaghetti and Italian sausage dinner. There really isn't any better place to taste homemade spaghetti except for in Italy.
There also isn't any better place to learn about Italian culture or recipes than at the festival.
The fest will have games, music, and a bake sale filled with Italian goodies. Of course you could easily spend all your time enjoying the all-you-can-eat portions, too.
Come to Little Italy and be a part of a delicious festival 91 years in the making.
For more information, follow the Little Italy’s 91st Annual Italian Festival Facebook Event Page.
If the thought of authentic Italian foods is making your mouth water, head over to the Little Italy website. Besides having information about their food fest, they also have some Old World recipes!
Have you been to this delicious little festival before? Share your experience with us in the comments below!
Arkansas native, Carol Ann Carson, has written for OnlyInYourState for three years now. She resides in Western Arkansas' Mountain Frontier but calls NWA home as well. The graduate of University of Arkansas - Fort Smith, Carol Ann earned her B.A. in English and will soon be pursing her M.A. in Library Science. She loves exploring the trails around the Buffalo National River and has yet to find a waterfall that wasn't her favorite.
