Little Italy Festival Virtual Tour

Hint: During this tour just click on any picture to see the larger version.

Tour

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Hello! My name is Guido, your virtual tour guide.

If you are coming to the Festival from Terre Haute on U.S.41 the first evidence you are getting close is at the Lyford Y.

Then as you cross the Wabash River Bridge you can see the first signs that there is a Festival.

The traditional start of the Little Italy Festival is the Parade which starts at 6:30 PM on Friday night. If you want to get a good seat to view the Parade, you better get there early.

The Parade always opens the same way, the Vegetable Cart. Fruits and vegetables are tossed into the crowd as the parade makes it's way down 9th Street. Sonny Carey is usually pushing the cart.

Once the parade starts you never know what or who you will see.

As the parade works it's way down 9th Street it passes by the Winery and the Mercato. The Wine Garden is located right behind the Winery. This is the heart of the "old" Italian neighborhood of Clinton.

Before the Parade turns east on Vine Street it passes underneath the Arch. The Arch is a symbol that when heading north on 9th Street you were entering the Italian part of town.

The parade then continues east on Vine street. When it reaches the corner of Vine and Main Street you will see on your left the Coal Town Museum. This building used to house the local train station. Many of the early settlers in Clinton made their living in the coal mines and the Coal Town Museum is dedicated to them. The parade then heads south on Main street to the Festival grounds.

At the south end of the Festival grounds some of the first things you will see are the Information Booth and further east on Elm Street is the Fountain.

As you look south from the fountain you will see the main Festival Grounds.

If you are feeling "lucky" be sure to stop by the Lions Club Booth. You can take a chance on winning a giant salami or some real Italian cheese.

Or maybe you are ready for a round of miniature golf with Topo Gigio. Topo may not be available to play with your group, but he is there in spirit.

I sure am getting hungry!! I just can't decide whether I should join these two guys or walk on down to the Sacred Heart Spaghetti tent. I can't decide so I guess I'll just have to try both.

After all that eating I really need to sit for a while and what better place to do that than in the grandstand area. The Grandstand is the center point of the Festival Grounds and there is always something going on there.

WOW!! Did you see all the Spaghetti that guy ate!!!! He's gonna need some Alka-Seltzer tonight.

As we go further down the midway we come to the kids favorite part of the festival, The RIDES. Of course they have everyone's favorite, the Merry-go-round.

Whoa! Did you just see what I just saw. I thought I was back in the Old Country for a minute..

I'll tell ya what. This tour thing has really wore Ol' Guido out! I think I'll jump on my favorite mode of transportation and head on over to the Wine Garden for a little vino and some music.

Well folks Ol' Guido is done but that does not mean you have to be. Be sure to look over the rest of this website and be sure to make your plans now to visit us at The Little Italy Festival this Labor Day weekend. Arrivederci!! .