Italian American festival is this Friday, Saturday

WATKINS GLEN--The 2022 Italian American Festival will return this weekend to Watkins Glen, Aug. 5 and 6. With expectations from festival organizers that thousands of visitors will come to the village, Festival President and Deputy Mayor Louis Perazzini is keeping his fingers crossed for good weather.
"Good weather, that is all we need, because the people will come," Perazzini said.
Perazzini explained that due to a needed scheduling change to accommodate this season's national event at the race track, there will not be carnival rides this year as the vendor could not reschedule. Inflatable rides will be available, however, at the festival grounds.
The NASCAR race at the track is later this year, Aug. 21, as opposed to Aug. 8 last year.
While the original date would have had the festival take place a week apart from the NASCAR race, Perazzini said he didn't want to place such an inordinate burden on local police and emergency services.
"It would have been back-to-back which would have been a lot of work so we decided to space it out a little bit," Perazzini said.
With the exception of the parade, Clute Park serves as the activity hub for the festival.
"We have entertainment all weekend long, bands during the day and night and our fireworks which are always a big hit," he said.
Along with generating revenue for local vendors and businesses, Perazzini said the festival is good for the community because it reminds Watkins Glen of where its roots are.
"As long as I can do it I am going to continue," Perazzini added.
One of Saturday's highlights is the annual parade through the village at noon. Parade Grand Marshals are Peggy Scott and Jim Scaptura. Festival royalty includes Kingston Tomlinson and Marlena VanNess.
The schedule includes:
Friday, Aug. 5
12 - 8 p.m. - Craft/Vendor Market Place
12 - 11 p.m. - Festival Food Row
12 - 3 p.m. - Bobby K Inflatable Rides
12 - 11 p.m - Beer Garden
2 - 4 p.m. - Tanglewood Nature Center
7:30 -11 p.m. - The Variables
Saturday, Aug. 6
10 a.m. - 2 p.m.: Clute Park Farmer's Market
9 a.m. Registration/10:30 a.m. Start: Corn Hole Tournament
10 a.m. - 8 p.m. - Craft/Vendor Market Place
10 a.m. - 8 p.m. - Bobby K Inflatable Rides
10 a.m. - Midnight - Festival Food Row
11 a.m. - 3 p.m. - Italian Music in the Park
Noon Start: Parade for World Peace
Starts on 15th St. and Decatur; ends at 5th St. and Decatur
1/1:30 p.m. - Toast to the Community and the Festival
12 p.m. - 11 p.m. - Beer Garden
2 p.m. - 3 p.m. - Leslie School of Dance
5 p.m. - 7 p.m. - Musicians Sean and Mike
8 p.m. - Midnight - Rukus
9:30 p.m. - Fireworks over Seneca Lake.