La Piazza, a new Italian music and food festival, arrives April 10–12, 2026, bringing the spirit of Italy to the Faulkner Gallery, Towbes Plaza at the Santa Barbara Public Library, and select locations throughout Santa Barbara. This free, three-day celebration highlights Italy’s rich musical heritage, vibrant culinary traditions, and the sense of community that binds it all together.
The festival opens Friday afternoon with Amore Italiano: Rome, Cinema, and the Music of the Heart, a sweeping concert at the Faulkner Gallery featuring pianists Jacopo Giacopuzzi and Alvise Pascucci, violinist Camille Miller, and flutist Tommaso Benciolini.
The food festival anchors the weekend beginning Saturday at Towbes Plaza, where visitors can enjoy bread and olive oil tastings, hands-on pasta workshops, kids’ activities, cooking demonstrations, and seminars on Italian food, wine, and music led by the UCSB Italian Culture Department. Booths showcasing authentic Italian products round out the lively marketplace, creating an immersive tribute to Italy on The American Riviera®.
Each afternoon, the Faulkner Gallery hosts a classical performance: Saturday’s concert, Recomposed: Vivaldi, Verdi, and the Art of Reinvention, spotlights Giacopuzzi, Pascucci, Benciolini, and violinist Jessica Guideri, while Sunday’s Dolce Swing brings together Benciolini, pianist Antonio Artese, and the Antonio Artese Trio for a warm, jazzy finale.
The full program and festival map will guide attendees to participating partners across Santa Barbara, including Arnoldi’s, Aperitivo & Manifattura, Ca’ Dario, Olio e Limone, Via Maestra 42, and more.
Event Dates & Times
- Friday, April 10: Festival opens at 3:30 PM with Amore Italiano concert (Faulkner Gallery)
- Saturday, April 11: Food festival begins at 12 PM (Library Plaza) featuring the UCSB and Chefs Cultural Seminar + afternoon classical concert (Faulkner Gallery)
- Sunday, April 12: Food festival continues at 12 PM (Library Plaza) including a Children’s Pasta Making Workshop + closing afternoon classical concert (Faulkner Gallery)