Sights, Sounds and Flavors of Italy Come to Downtown Reno during the Eldorado Great Italian Festival, October 6 and 7

For 31 years, the Eldorado has brought the sights, sounds and flavors of Italy to downtown Reno during the Eldorado Great Italian Festival. The festival, held each year over Columbus Day weekend, is a celebration of Italian culture and traditions.

On October 6 and 7, the festival will transform downtown Reno into Little Italy with a grape stomp, sauce cookers competition, an Italian farmer’s market, bocce ball, kids’ gelato eating contest, Italian Buffet and incredible, free, live entertainment all weekend long.

The music line-up includes festival favorites such as Mitch Franco, Ray Massa’s Eurorhythms, Moreno Fruzzetti, Pasquale Esposito, The Bronx Wanderers, Bella Ciao, Capuano n’ T Rock and Primo Basso.

Featured this year, Artown Encore Series and the Eldorado are teaming up to present a beloved Old-World traditional with the Zoppé Family Circus. Under an intimate 500 seat tent, this one-ring circus will enchant guests with acrobatic feats, equestrian showmanship, canine capers, clowning and plenty of audience participation when it comes to Reno October 4 through 7.

A crowd favorite year after year continues to be the Great Italian Festival Sauce Cook-off. Italian families from across the West Coast bring their recipes to life right on the street for guests to taste. Pasta tasting plates will be sold for $2 at the spaghetti booth on the corner of 4th and Virginia streets starting at 2 p.m. daily.

No Italian Festival would be complete without plenty of homemade Italian food! The Eldorado’s Famous Italian Dinner Buffet will be served in the Eldorado Convention Center on Saturday and in The Buffet on Saturday and Sunday at 4 p.m. Guests can enjoy an array of Italian specialties including handmade pasta dishes, Cioppino, eggplant parmesan, veal scaloppini and many others as well as an assortment of home made Italian salads and desserts, including the Eldorado’s famous gelato and tiramisu!

There are plenty of offerings street side as well—traditional Italian fare including house-made pastas, Italian sausage and peppers, garlic bread, flatbread pizza and more.

Italian Festival Entertainment Schedule:

Saturday, October 6

ROME STAGE – 4^th and Virginia Streets

10:00 – 11:30  Ray Massa’s Eurorhythms

12:00 – 1:30    Moreno Fruzzetti

1:30 – 1:45      Jersey Nights

2:15 – 3:45      Capuano n’ T Rock

4:00 – 5:30      Mitch Franco

VENICE STAGE – 3^rd and Virginia Streets

10:30 – 12:00 Primo Basso Band

12:30 – 2:00    The Bronx Wanderers

2:30 – 4:00      Bella Ciao

4:30 – 6:00      Ray Massa’s Eurorhythms

Other Italian Festival Highlights:

-          Be captivated by the Zoppé Family Circus, starring Nino the clown. Performances are under the big top in the Eldorado surface lot on the corner of 4^th and Sierra streets October 4 at 7 p.m., October 5 at 4 and 7 p.m., October 6 at 11 a.m., 4 and 7 p.m., and October 7 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tickets are $24.95 for VIP seating, $19.95 for general admission and $11.95 for kids ages 2 to 11.

-          Pasta bowls for sauce tasting will be sold for $2 at the Spaghetti Booth on the corner of 4^th and Virginia streets starting at 2 p.m. daily.  Don’t wait, they go fast!

-          Grape stomping is fun, free and open to the public Saturday from noon to 6 p.m. Members of the media, politicians and local celebrities stomp Sunday starting at 11 a.m.

-          The Ferrari Club of America will have more than 30 specialty cars in a special Ferrari display on 4^th Street all weekend.

-          A bocce ball tournament for competitive players begins Saturday at 8 a.m. with a $10 sign up fee.  Stop by Sunday for free beginner and family play starting at 10 a.m.

-          An Italian Farmers Market will run all day Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.  The market includes arts and crafts exhibits, souvenirs and food booths.

-          The Eldorado’s Famous Italian Dinner Buffet will be served in the Eldorado Convention Center at 4 p.m. on Saturday and in The Buffet at 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday for $23.99.

-          A Kids’ gelato eating contest will be held at 3 p.m. on Sunday. 

Celebrate everything Italian with the 31^st Annual Eldorado Great Italian Festival on Saturday, October 6 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, October 7 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more details, photos and other Italian Festival information visit www.eldoradoreno.com or call 775-786-5700. The latest Eldorado updates are also available on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and the Eldorado’s interactive iPhone and Android Apps.