Seattle Center Festal to Host Italian Festival, 9/28-29

Live performances, audio-visual arts, foods, hands-on activities, games and a lively marketplace explore the cultural roots and contemporary influences of Italy and Italian-Americans in the Pacific Northwest at Seattle Center Festál: The Italian Festival, 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 28 and 29, in Seattle Center Armory, Fisher Pavilion and Seattle Center Pavilion.

The Italian Festival, a "celebration of all things Italian," offers Sicilian puppet theatre, Italian films, a grape-stomping contest and a bocce ball tournament to honor the "old country." In 2013, the festival features:

Italian Dog Show: many Italian breeds including Italian Greyhounds, Spinoi Italiani, Cirneci dell'Etna and Lagotti Romagnoli participate in "Puppy Parades" 12:15 p.m. and 2:15 p.m. each day in the Kid's Courtyard.

Great Italian Chefs: Maria Liberati, author of "The Basic Art of Italian Cooking," leads a line-up of chefs that includes notable local chefs from Seattle's best Italian restaurants. Liberati appears 3 p.m. each day in the outdoor piazza. www.festaseattle.com/chefs.htm

Free Concert & Dance: Mbrascatu, a five-piece, Italian-inspired world-music group from Portland, Ore., leads an all-ages concert and dance, 6:30 p.m. Saturday. Opening the show are local favorites Tony LaStella & the Goombas. www.festaseattle.com/Mbrascatu.htm

Lewis... A Man, A Hero, Book Reading and Signing: Author Franco Lovato tells the story of a local Italian-American who died in Vietnam in 1966 as he freed his platoon from sniper fire, 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, in the Armory.

Dante's Inferno - The Ballet: Burmer Music presents Dante Alighieri's classic journey through the nine levels of Hell in a sneak preview of this dramatic new ballet, 2 p.m. on Sunday.

Seattle Center Festál, a series of 22 celebrations presented by community organizations with support from Seattle Center, considers themes of importance to ethnic cultures in our region, revealing their common forms of tradition and expression, while highlighting their unique contributions to the Pacific Northwest and the world.

The Italian Festival is produced in partnership with Festa Italiana. For more information on The Italian Festival, visit www.festaseattle.com. Click on www.seattlecenter.com or call 206 684-7200 to learn more about Seattle Center Festál and other outstanding public programming offered at