Festa Italiana, presented by Calypso Lemonades, yesterday announced Grammy-nominated Gin Blossoms will headline the festival Saturday, July 22 at 9 p.m. at Henry W. Maier Festival Park.

With numerous Billboard hits, Gin Blossoms’ fusion of melodic rock, pop, folk and country elements has helped pave the way for the modern rock of today. Gin Blossoms’ five-time platinum breakthrough album, "New Miserable Experience," contained gems such as "Until I Fall Away," "Found Out About You," "Hey Jealousy" and "Allison Road."

Those hit tracks were followed by the "Empire Records" platinum soundtrack hit "Til I Hear it From You," and in 1996, by the singles, "Follow you Down" and "As Long As It Matters." From their breakout album through today, Robin, Jesse, Bill and Scotty have sold over 10 million records and are one of the most in demand '90s live artists who began at the end of the grunge era.

In February 2017, the band went back in the studio recording a new album in time for release this summer. Fans will get a taste of the new album as it works its way into their live set beginning this April. The band will perform in over 100 cities in 2017, making it one of the busiest touring years since the '90s. Gin Blossoms remain a rare breed – rock ‘n’ roll lifers, destined to continue creating, crafting and performing for audiences ever rapt by their glorious catalog of material.

"What better way to kick off our 40th anniversary than with a star-powered entertainment line-up. Gin Blossoms are one of those bands that people of all ages love and can resonate with and we know they are going to bring a spectacular show to Festa. We also have the Violin Femmes staring Bella Electric Strings that will excite crowds with their violin renditions of rock classics. Saturday’s line-up is only the beginning of some great entertainment that Festa will have in order to celebrate its 40th anniversary right," said Dean Cannestra, Italian Community Center president and chairman of Festa Italiana.

Additional Saturday, July 22 headliners include

• Violin Femmes Starring Bella Electric Strings: Violin Femmes staring Bella Electric Strings, will rock Festa attendees with their blistering solos and unique arrangements – not to mention their beauty and charm. The girls have performed with some of the biggest names in the business, from Beyoncé to Shakira to Andrea Bocelli, and have appeared on "America’s Got Talent" season one. Performing the music of Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Queen, Prince, The Eagles, ELO and more, Violin Femmes takes Bella Strings to a whole new level. The only one of its kind in the world, there are no other similar string acts operating at this level of production. Be prepared for something that you have not yet seen the likes of!
• Dog ‘N’ Butterfly, the Ultimate HEART Tribute Band: Created in late 2003, this five-piece band is dedicated to bringing their talent and love of Heart’s memorable music of the '70s and '80s to the stage. Complete with stage show and retro-inspired costumes, Dog ‘N’ Butterfly takes the concept of "tribute" to a whole new level! Dog 'N' Butterfly performs all the '70s hits loved by die-hard Heart fans worldwide as well as the chart-toppers that brought Heart back into the lime light in the '80s. Fronting the band is vocalist Lizann Warner whose portrayal of Ann Wilson is both eerie and un-paralleled, earning her praise from the actual members of Heart. Lizann is joined by Desha Dunnahoe who is not only a multi-instrumentalist who plays both electric and acoustic guitars fluently, but is also a gifted composer and orchestrator.

The members of Dog ‘N’ Butterfly painstakingly recreate every harmony and nuance of Heart’s memorable music down to the last detail. This, coupled with their dynamic stage show and retro-inspired costumes, makes them a virtual tour-de-force of talent and dedication, providing fans with exactly what they promise ... The Ultimate Heart Tribute!

Festa Italiana takes place Friday, July 21 through Sunday, July 23, at the Henry W. Maier Festival Park on Milwaukee’s Lakefront. Festival goers can take in all entertainment acts for the value price of only $10.00 for advance sale tickets now through July 20. Tickets are $13 after July 20 and at the gate. 

A full Festa Italiana entertainment schedule of performers will be released as acts are confirmed. To learn more about Festa Italiana, please visit festaitaliana.com.