Little Italy Fest more than food & fun

CLINTON, Ind. (WTHI) - The Little Italy Festival is a Labor Day tradition for thousands in the Valley. For business owners, it means a lot more than just food and fun.

The red, white, and blue of the American flag flies next to the red, white, and green of the Italian flag at Clinton's Little Italy Festival. Green seems appropriate because that's what many people are bringing to area businesses, in the form of dollar bills.

Sue Craig, of Brocton, Illinois, made the 40 minute drive from Edgar County for the first time last year and knew she had to come back.

"I just remembered this little place when I first got here," said Craig. "I told my husband pull in, this is the first place I want to see today."

She spendt about 10 dollars Saturday afternoon at the Country Closet. But estimates before the day is out, she'll spend about 100 on gifts and food.

This festival is a lifeline to places like the Country Closet because employees say many people come here this weekend for the first time and turn into repeat customers throughout the year.

"It is the busiest," said Country Closet employee Helena Hall. "Christmas is good, Easter too. But this is probably the biggest."

It's the same sentiment at Terra Villa Restaurant which has been serving Italian food for more than three decades. Without the festival, they might not make it another three decades.

"It'd be hard," said employee Jason Reed. "It would be more than a struggle. This is kind of the thing that bails us out and makes it a pretty profitable business."

So while it's all fun and games for kids enjoying the rides on the midway, it means a lot more to the people behind the scenes. Because $20 dollars here, or $100 dollars somewhere else really adds up.

"I think that it's great that small communities have things like this to try to keep going," said Craig.

With people like Craig coming and bringing their green, that will keep this red, white, and green festival going for years to come.

Of course, the Little Italy festival isn't the only festival in the Wabash Valley. The Casey Popcorn Festival in Casey, Illinois, is also Labor Day weekend. For a full list of fall festivals check out our Community Calendar .