Endless pasta-bilities

Get ready to eat — Festa Italiana, Hawaii’s only Italian festival, is returning to Kakaako Sept. 15 to 16. The festival aims to celebrate both Italian and Hawaiian culture by providing a variety of authentic Italian and Italian-inspired experiences offered by Italian and local businesses and restaurants.

Festa Italiana kicks off with the Passaporto Italiano VIP Experience at Velocity Honolulu from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Sept. 15, a ticketed event ($175) for individuals ages 21 years and older. Guests can indulge in culinary delights from Oahu’s top-tier Italian chefs and restaurants. VIP guests can also enjoy unlimited amounts of specially curated selections of Italian wines and custom cocktails. A portion of the proceeds from this event will be donated to Hawaii Community Foundation’s Maui Strong Fund.

The celebration continues from 4 to 10 p.m. Sept. 16 with the Street Festival around Kakaako’s Mother Waldron Park. This free event gives attendees the opportunity to enjoy a variety of food vendors and Italian-inspired entertainment. You can look forward to a selection of Italian wines, Italian and local beer and traditional spirits for purchase, Italian-inspired games and photo ops, street vendors offering authentic Italian culinary delights for purchase and more. Validated parking ($3) will be available at Waterfront Plaza.

To learn more, visit festaitalianahawaii.com. Here’s a preview of the vendor lineup:

Allegrini Mozzarella

Street Festival

Allegrini Mozzarella (various locations) is known for its Italian deli and imported Italian goods. The biz has locations in both downtown Honolulu and a wine bar in Waikiki.

Allegrini Mozzarella will offer spaghetti with meatballs, pasta carbonara, tiramisu and cannoli.

Follow the biz on Instagram (@littleitalyhawaii).

Quiora

VIP Experience

Located in The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Waikiki Beach, Quiora (383 Kalaimoku St.) offers al fresco dining with rustic Italian cuisine. For the Passaporto Italiano VIP Experience, the restaurant will feature caponata crostini.

Call 808-729-9757 or visit quiorawaikiki.com.

Brick Fire Tavern

Street Festival

This Kaimuki-based biz (3447 Waialae Ave.) is famous for its pizza Napoletana, which features housemade dough and a light, airy crust. Brick Fire Tavern will feature meatballs with house focaccia, along with a vegetarian option (marinara with house focaccia).

Call 808-379-2430 or visit brickfiretavern.com.

Arancino at The Kahala

VIP Experience

Arancino at The Kahala (5000 Kahala Ave.) is known for its creative, modern twist on classic Italian dishes. The eatery will feature rigatoni alla gricia, which is prepared in a cheese wheel and features pecorino, Parmigiano, guanciale and toasted black pepper.

Call 808-380-4400 or visit arancino.com.

Aroma Italia

Street Festival

Aroma Italia (3045 Monsarrat Ave. Ste. 4) is a cozy neighborhood spot that specializes in authentic Italian cuisine. Feast on its bestselling dishes that include burrata caprese, gnocchi gorgonzola and butternut squash ravioli with pink sauce.

Visit aromaitaliahawaii.com or call 808-888-2229.

Sage Creamery

Street Festival

Sage Creamery (various locations) is known for its premium ice cream that’s made in small batches and features high-quality ingredients from local businesses. The biz is offering exclusive flavors — including limoncello, olive oil and pistachio — just for Festa Italiana.

Visit sagecreamery.com.

MW Restaurant

VIP Experience

MW Restaurant (888 Kapiolani Blvd. Ste. 201) is famous for its Hawaii regional cuisine and extraordinary desserts in a contemporary setting. The eatery will offer shrimp scampi (Kauai shrimp, carrots and zucchini), along with tiramisu.

Call 808-955-6505 or visit msrestaurant.com.

Il Gelato Hawaii

Both events

Il Gelato Hawaii (various locations) is known for its all-natural gelato made with high-quality ingredients. This vendor is participating in both, Passaporto Italiano VIP Experience and the Street Festival, with an assortment of gelato flavors like pistachio, Gianduia, lemon sorbeto and raspberry sorbetto.

Visit ilgelato-hawaii.com.