Two popular Little Italy festivals will merge into one event this year, as Light Up Little Italy and the Feast of St. Gabriel join to create an expanded three-day festival the weekend of Aug. 14–16, 2026.
Festival Details
The Light Up Little Italy Feast of St. Gabriel Festival celebrates the heritage, culture, faith, and traditions of the historic Little Italy neighborhood. This newly combined event is an immersive experience with authentic food, live entertainment, artisan vendors, and a five-course dinner with the Chefs of Little Italy, Baltimore.
Visitors can delight in creatures in costumes at the Ferragosto Pet Pageant and other beloved traditions that have long made the Feast of St. Gabriel a community cornerstone. The pageant’s $5 entry fee will be donated to BARCS animal shelter. There will be the traditional blessing and processional of St. Gabriel, a bocce tournament, family activities, and a meatball and sausage eating contest.
Now an expanded three-day festival, guests have more time and space to enjoy all Little Italy has to offer while honoring the neighborhood’s past and embracing its future. The festival is free, though there is a $5 fee for those over 21 who would like the required wristband to purchase alcohol.
“The combination of these two beloved events creates an incredible opportunity to celebrate everything that makes Little Italy so special,” said Russ Cipolla, chair of the Festival Committee. “By bringing together the excitement of Light Up Little Italy with the traditions of the Feast of St. Gabriel, we’re creating an even stronger community celebration that honors our heritage while welcoming new generations of visitors.”
Original reporting: Baltimore Fishbowl — read the source article.
