27th Warren fest includes mixture of new and old

Staff report

WARREN

There will be traditional favorites at this year’s downtown Warren Italian-American Heritage Festival — Italian food, Tiny King and Queen Pageant and Miss Italian Pageant.

The one thing that is new is a tent to mark the 22 years’ worth of graduates of the former Warren Western Reserve High School.

Reserve graduated seniors from 1967 to 1989. The tent will provide a place for former students there to meet and talk about old times. It will be near the water fountain on the west side of Courthouse Square.

The high school building, on Loveless Avenue Southwest, was converted to a middle school in 1990 and was demolished last year when the district constructed five new buildings to replace 19 old ones.

The festival, in its 27th year, begins at 5 p.m. today with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the main entrance, which is on Park Avenue, across from the Comfort Inn.

The Tiny King and Queen Pageant begins at 6 p.m. today, and the Miss Italian Pageant begins at 7:30 p.m.

Cost is a $3 donation, said Phil Sidoti, festival president

Today

5 p.m. — Ribbon-cutting ceremony

6 p.m. — Tiny King and Queen Pageant

6 to 10 p.m. — Bocce tournament

6 to 11 p.m. — Cultural/heritage displays

6:30 to 10:30 p.m. — John Gabriele

7:30 p.m. — Miss Italian Pageant

9:15 to 10:45 p.m. — Capri band

Friday

7 to 8 p.m. — Dana School of Dance

8:30 to 9:30 p.m. — Gabriel and Friends

9:30 a.m. — Kick-off breakfast

9:45 to 10:45 p.m. — Capri band

5 to 11 p.m. Bocce tournament

6 to 10 p.m. — Cultural/heritage displays

6:30 to 11 p.m . — Rex Taneri

Saturday

9 a.m. to 11 p.m. — Bocce tournament

1 to 4 p.m. — Children’s entertainment

1 to 5 p.m. — Avanti band

Noon to 1 p.m. — Pasta sauce registration

1:30 p.m. — Pasta sauce contest

2 p.m. — Morra tournament

SATURDAY

11 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. — Wine registration

1 p.m. — Wine-tasting competition

Noon to 10 p.m. — Cultural/heritage displays

6 to 7 p.m. — Natalie Pinto

7 to 11 p.m. — Frank Gallo

7:15 to 8:15 p.m. — Brotherhood

8:30 to 9:30 p.m. — Marcoantonio

9:45 to 10:45 p.m. — Tony Ieluzzi

Sunday

9:15 a.m. — Procession formation

9:30 a.m. — Blessed Virgin procession, Italian outdoor Mass to follow

10:45 a.m. — Continental breakfast

11 a.m. Bocce tournament

2 p.m. — Parade

Noon to 10 p.m. — Cultural/heritage displays

1 to 5 p.m. — Jim Frank Trio

6 to 7 p.m.— Brotherhood

7 to 11 p.m. — Capri Band

7:15 to 8:15 p.m. — Natalie Pinto

8:30 to 9:30 p.m. — Marcoantonio

9:45 to 10:45 p.m. — Tony Ieluzzi 11 p.m. — Fireworks display

Source: Italian-American Heritage Festival