Chefs, cannoli-eating contest and more at Festa Italiana

You weren't going to go to Festa Italiana and not take in the food, were you?

Local and national chefs will take the Cucina Showcase stage when the festival returns this weekend  at the lakefront. Rossella Rago of the web show “Cooking with Nonna” will appear at 6 p.m. Saturday and 6:45 p.m. Sunday; California chef Richard Lombardi will demonstrate Italian dishes at 2 p.m. Saturday and 4:30 p.m. Sunday.

The cannoli-eating contest is at 3:30 p.m. Saturday. Register by 3 at the showcase if you're 18 or older and have the stomach power.

The kids' pizza-making contest is 4:15 p.m. Saturday for ages 5 to 17; it takes place at the showcase in front of an audience. 

New items from Festa's two-dozen-plus food vendors this year include the baked pasta dish anelleti al forno from Carini's La Conca D’Oro.

For the full schedule, see festaitaliana.com/fooddrink/. Tickets are $10 through Thursday at the website, which also notes daily admission deals. 

Festa Italiana is open from 3 p.m. to midnight Friday, 11:30 a.m. to midnight Saturday and 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday at Maier Festival Park, 200 N. Harbor Drive. Info also is available at (414) 223-2808.

— Carol Deptolla