When Festa Italiana returns to the Summerfest grounds Friday for the first time since 2019, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden will be on hand at the opening ceremonies.

The Italian Community Center announced Wednesday that Dr. Biden will speak at the Festa kick-off, which is set for Friday, May 31 at 6 p.m. in the newly renovated Aurora Pavilion near the Mid-Gate.

Biden is the first Italian-American first lady. Her paternal grandfather Gaetano Giacoppa changed his surname to Jacobs after arriving in the United States in 1885 from Gesso, near Messina in Sicily.

Festa Italiana 2024 takes place May 31-June 2 at the Henry W. Maier Festival Park on the lakefront.

The opening ceremony is open to the public, provided you have a festival ticket. Festa admission is $15 or $30 for a three-day pass.

Festa Italiana was canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic and in 2022, the usual July event at the lakefront was moved to September at the ICC. The 2023 event was also held on the ICC grounds, just across the street from Summerfest.