Festa Italiana NC fills Hunter Street and the Apex Town Hall campus each September. The 2026 festival was Sept. 19; the 2027 date is not posted yet.

Last checked Oct. 11, 2026. This page is updated each year at the same address. Facts come from Festa Italiana North Carolina and the Town of Apex Festa Italiana page. Check the organizer’s page before you go.

Festa Italiana North Carolina is a one-day street festival of Italian food, music, wine and culture on Hunter Street and the Apex Town Hall campus each September. A group of Italian Americans in the Triangle started it in 2018, and the nonprofit that runs it gives its proceeds to local charities. The 2026 festival, the eighth, was Saturday, Sept. 19, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The 2027 date has not been announced; we will add it here when the organizer posts it on festanc.org. Town questions go to 919-249-3400.

Festa Italiana at a glance
When September; 2026 was Sept. 19, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
2027 date Not announced yet
Where Hunter Street and the Apex Town Hall courtyard, 73 Hunter St.
Pets Not allowed
Organizer Festa Italiana North Carolina

What is there

The festival lists these attractions on its website and the town’s event page:

  • Food trucks and street vendors, with a vendor list posted before the festival.
  • The Galbani culinary stage for cooking demonstrations.
  • A music stage with live entertainment.
  • The cannoli-eating contest.
  • A children’s area, the Zona Bambini.
  • Beer and wine, a raffle and festival merchandise.

Road closures and parking

For the 2026 festival the town listed:

  • Hunter Street closed to cars between Ambergate Station and Laura Duncan Road from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  • The Town Hall parking lot and the lot between Town Hall and the John M. Brown Community Center closed from midnight Saturday. The campus’s other lots stayed open.
  • GoApex Route 1 ran on a detour.

The organizer points visitors to the town’s interactive downtown parking map and its parking app, which shows open spaces in four lots near downtown in real time. The Strollway links Salem Street to the festival and comes out at the cooking stage.

On the bus, the organizer says riders can use GoApex stop 16093 at the Apex Senior Center main entrance or stop 1452 across North Mason Street in front of the Mason Street Municipal Building during Town Hall campus events, according to its directions and parking page.

Rules and what to know

  • No pets. Animals are not allowed inside the festival boundary under Apex town code, except as part of approved activities or to assist people with disabilities.
  • Alcohol: only alcohol bought inside the festival is allowed, and it must be finished or thrown away inside the festival boundary.
  • Social district cups: the festival sits outside downtown’s social district, so finish or toss those cups before you walk in.
  • Alerts: text “FESTA” to 888777 for safety alerts and changes on the day.
  • Town staff may take photos and video of festival crowds.

More in town: our things to do in Apex guide and the things to do this month list.

Frequently asked questions

When is Festa Italiana in Apex?

It is held in September. The 2026 festival was Saturday, Sept. 19, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The organizer had not posted the 2027 date as of Oct. 11, 2026.

Where is Festa Italiana held?

On Hunter Street and the Apex Town Hall courtyard, 73 Hunter St., a short walk from Salem Street along the Strollway.

Can I bring my dog to Festa Italiana?

No. Pets are not allowed inside the festival boundary under Apex town code, except service animals and approved activities.

Which roads close for Festa Italiana?

In 2026 Hunter Street closed to cars between Ambergate Station and Laura Duncan Road from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., and two Town Hall campus lots closed from midnight.