SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — Tossing, rolling, frying.
All sounds coming from a kitchen on overdrive, serving the thousands of people indulging in the eleventh annual Festa Italiana.
"Man, we get our butts kicked really good. It's a beautiful opportunity to showcase what we love to do, which is making quality delicious Italian food,” said Francesco Martinelli, the owner of Bacio D'Italia.
"With crowds of people passing by every minute of both days of the festival, business is booming,” he added. "This is our busiest event we do in the year, 100% by far. Yesterday, we did about 2700 plates, 2600 plates, something like that. Today is going to be something like 2000."
Business is booming not just for vendors at the festival, but also for the stores that call The Gateway home.
"Every time that there's excitement and things that are happening downtown, we absolutely love it because we see our sales just go through the roof, and then more and more people get involved and then more people create art, and it keeps the world perpetually going,” Jonathan King, the special events coordinator at Urban Arts Gallery, said.
While the festival helps businesses in and around The Gateway, it also provides them a chance to introduce people to traditions that span generations.
"It goes back to my great-grandfather in 1948,” said Thomas Granato of Granato's Gourmet Deli. “He started by importing Italian goods, door-to-door, and it grew into a distribution center."
It's because of those traditions and the food made by people who grew up an ocean away that so many spend an afternoon annually here at The Gateway.
"It's great to see the different types of food, culture, like the people. It's just really nice to enjoy it, kind of see a different side of life. It's been great,” said Tayler Marteliz, who lives in Kearns.
"It's been a great time, all the food is delicious, there's a lot of people here, and I just wanted to come, hang out with some friends and enjoy the time,” said Adis Halaba, who lives in Magna.
For some Italians who grew up in New Jersey, a festival like this makes them feel a little closer to home.
"In New York, around this same time, is the San Gennaro feast, so this kind of reminds me of that," Annette Wisniewski, who now lives in Salt Lake City, said. "It's just really good to know to have a lot of the things that you know and grew up with in the same place."
It's a festival that reminds some of old memories and gives others a chance to make new ones.