The news
It’s a major L for the LA culture scene this week. The annual LA Italian Festival, which was set to take over the iconic intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue this past Sunday, was suddenly axed. The reason? The festival’s founder and CEO, Joey Sorice, passed away suddenly on Saturday morning after suffering a heart attack at his home.
The fallout
Organizers were left scrambling to inform the public and vendors after the devastating news hit on the eve of the event’s eighth edition. While the team successfully contacted food vendors to call off the day, they admitted on Instagram that they struggled to reach merchandise sellers because they couldn't track down Sorice’s private contact info. Some fans were clearly not feeling the decision to cancel, with comments flooding social media arguing the show should have gone on to honor his legacy.
A comedy icon
Beyond his work running the festival, Sorice was a total legend in the LA comedy circuit. He was best known as one-half of the duo Jimmy and Joey, who famously earned a spot on the walls of The Comedy Store and even took their talents to America’s Got Talent for season 10. Fellow comedian Ron Swallow paid tribute to his friend, noting that the world feels a little less bright without him.
Why it matters
This is a massive loss for the local community that looked forward to the event every year. Real talk: it’s a reminder of how quickly the vibes can change when a key figure in the scene passes away, and how much work goes into these festivals behind the scenes that we often take for granted.
