COLLINSVILLE – Main Street in Collinsville was bustling with excitement this past weekend as the annual Italian Fest drew crowds with its diverse array of activities and vendors.
The festival, held on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024, featured 42 vendors and a popular parade, which included numerous entries and was highlighted by this year’s parade marshal, Kurt Litteken, Collinsville’s 2023 Firefighter of the Year Award Winner.
The Collinsville Chamber of Commerce is the main sponsor of the Italian Fest in Collinsville. The Chamber of Commerce, along with other sponsors, makes the family-friendly event happen each year. The Italian Fest celebrates the city’s Italian culture and heritage.
The festival also hosted the Italian Fest 5K race, which saw local participants compete for top honors. Justin Wieduwilt, a resident of Collinsville, claimed victory in the race with a time of 18:13. Jazz Cathedral from Springfield, Illinois, finished in second place with a time of 19:26, while Aaron Werths from Granite City secured third place, crossing the finish line at 19:35.
The first female finisher was Jessica Theiss from O’Fallon, Illinois, who completed the race in 21:07. Other notable finishers included Derek Bowers of Edwardsville, who came in fourth at 19:40, and Dayton Horras of Collinsville, who placed fifth with a time of 19:50. Glen Carbon’s Alex Heepke finished seventh, clocking in at 20:19.
The Italian Fest continues to be a cherished event in Collinsville, bringing together community members to celebrate with food, entertainment, and athletic competition.
