COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — The Columbus Italian Festival will transform the capital this weekend into a vibrant celebration of Italian culture, starting Friday evening at St. John the Baptist Church in Italian Village.

“Right now we’re putting the finishing touches on everything to get this festival open in a few hours at 5 p.m.,” said Joe Ingrassia of the Columbus Piave Club. “We have vendors putting out the last of their wares. The pizzas are ready to go into the oven and be served. You can smell the sausage and the peppers. We’re ready to go.’

The festival, which offers a weekend of Italian food, music and family-friendly activities, runs from 5pm to 11pm on Friday, noon to 11pm on Saturday and noon to 7pm on Sunday. Admission is $10 at the gate, children under 12 are admitted free when accompanied by a paying adult. A weekend pass is available for $15.

To highlight the festivities, ABC 6’s Tom Bosco will serve as the parade’s chief marshal on Sunday.

The parade begins at 1 p.m. in Goodale Park and will feature six high school marching bands, a college marching band, the Nacho Street Band, and a variety of cars and floats.

“This is the best festival of the year in Columbus, Ohio,” Ingrassia said. “There are all kinds of great things for you to do. You can learn about Italian culture. You can learn about St. John the Baptist Church. This is the cornerstone of the Italian community in Columbus, Ohio .”

All proceeds from the festival benefit the St. John the Baptist Church.