IRON MOUNTAIN, Mich. (WLUC) – The smell of pizza and wine filled the air in Iron Mountain on Saturday for the 18th annual Italian Festival.
Michael Izzo was born in Iron Mountain and has come to every festival to celebrate with family. He says his grandpa and dad were born in Italy and had a strong love for their heritage–Italian and American.
“They loved being Americans, and so, really, all through these years I learned that deep appreciation for where they came from, but even more, a love for being an Italian American,” Izzo said.
During the event, Izzo sang “God Bless America” in Italian to highlight the blend of cultures.
“Since the late 1800s to 1920s, when 4 million of them came here, they contributed greatly in culture, in the food industries, in art and music, acting,” Izzo said.
Three vendors provided classic Italian cuisine, and people could pair their meal with Italian wine.
People could also talk with Albert Santoni, who hosted a Sassoferrato exhibit, Iron Mountain’s sister city. He and his wife help people find where their grandparents or even great-grandparents had lived in Italy.
“We’ve been to Italy 12 times and traveled just about all over the country there, so we know a lot about it and can help people,” Santoni said.
He says the festival is important to the many Italians in the area who love to share stories and history. Santoni says by the end of the festival, the exhibit’s map of Italy is filled with pins, showing where people’s families have come from.
“You’d be surprised at how many people come from a small city in Italy, and they don’t know where that small city is located on a map,” Santoni said.
Just one U.P. festival sharing the love for culture and family.
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