The streets of downtown Butler will be awash in green, white and red this weekend as Butler's Italian Festival promises pleasant afternoons filled with old-world cuisine, music and culture.

“You get a lot of that atmosphere when you come to something like this,” said Michael Dongilli, event organizer. “Overall, you're going to get that true Italian flavor, and I think people just warm up to that.”

Dongilli expects the festival will continue to grow. Last year, it drew more than 25,000 attendees. He said weather is always a key, but the current outlook is looking with mostly sunny skies throughout the weekend.

Dongilli said the festival has also expanded. This year, there will be a second music stage, an added block of space and the children's vendors might expand their offerings of rides and games.

The festival starts at 5 p.m. Friday. and festivities will close Main Street from Jefferson St. to Brady St. until 10 p.m. On Saturday, festivities run from noon to 10 p.m. and on Sunday the festival runs from noon to 6 p.m.

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