Your weekend plans? Obviously the Columbus Italian Festival

The Columbus Italian Festival is back starting today and running until October 13th! This popular event at St. John the Baptist Italian Catholic Church is the perfect opportunity to immerse yourself in the sights, sounds and tastes of Italian culture here in Columbus.

Since the first festival in 1980, which unexpectedly drew over 10,000 people, this celebration has been all about community. The event was originally held in the Lausche Building at the Ohio State Fairgrounds, but grew and moved to its current location, where it attracts more than 35,000 visitors each year.

With admission priced at $10 (free for children under 12), you can immerse yourself in a weekend of delicious food and lively entertainment. Just a heads up: pets are not allowed on the festival grounds, so please leave them at home.

When it comes to food, you'll of course indulge.

Think homemade pasta, fresh cannoli and all your favorite Italian dishes. There's something for everyone and you'll definitely want to try a little bit of everything. And while you enjoy delicious bites, take a moment to enjoy the festive atmosphere full of music, dancing and the joy of community.

There will be live performances throughout the day, giving visitors the chance to see everything from traditional Italian dancers to popular big bands.

Don't miss the highlight of the weekend – the parade and high school marching band competition on Sunday at 1 p.m. It's a fantastic parade with local bands, colorful floats and a lot of Italian pride.

The festival is a family affair and offers plenty of activities for the children. There will be rides throughout the weekend, as well as kid-friendly entertainment like balloon artists, arts and crafts and more.

This year parking will be much easier than last year. The Columbus State Community College parking garage is the place to do this and offers a free shuttle service that will take you directly to the festival entrance.

The shuttle buses are available at the following times:

You don't have to worry about driving around to find parking – just park in the garage, hop on the shuttle and enjoy the ride. You can read more about the shuttle here.

This is one of the largest and most popular fall festivals in Columbus and I can almost guarantee you that you will eat something incredibly delicious. What's not to love about it?

For more information or to purchase your tickets in advance, visit columbusitalianfestival.com.