Prepare for "meatball madness" in Fort Mill. The 27th Annual St. Philip Neri Italian Festival kicks off Thursday, May 16. The festival highlights the community with mouth-watering family recipes and three days of fun.

"It started 27 years ago with a small idea to have a nice gathering for the parish. It started small and it's just grown exponentially," says Carson Luger, the chairperson of the festival.

The annual festival is a labor of love by the parishioners and volunteers. Inspired by St. Philip Neri, the “Apostle of Joy," and the community, the event features live music, a kid zone, a "Cannoli Run" 5k, and homemade Italian favorites.

"All of our food is made in-house by parishioners. We have our secret recipes for our sausages and our meatballs," explained Luger. "We have a 'meatball madness' where volunteers get together and make meatballs and sausage. We made over 5,500 half-pound meatballs and 25-to 30,000 sausages."

Editor's note: The family recipes have been tweaked to make consistent + safe for allergies.

What to expect:

Children's Benvenuti Parade
50+ artisans and vendors
Live music
Beer garden (and tastings) by Amor Artis
Silent auction, including the chance to win whole home air conditioning by Comfort Heating & Cooling

"The Italian food is unique. I think that's one of the biggest draws to our festival. When you know it's these recipes that have lasted generations, it makes you feel good," said Luger.

The festival takes place at St. Philip Neri Catholic Church (292 Munn Rd. E., Fort Mill) and runs through Saturday, May 18. Pro tip: Food gets close to running out by Saturday so attend while you can.