Live music, vender booths and lots of Italian food are being readied as volunteers worked to finalize preparations for the 51st McAlester Italian Festival. It's set for Friday, May 12, and Saturday, May 13, at the Southeast Expo Center, with free admission to the festival and vender booth sites. Once again this year, there will be no festival on Sunday, so volunteers can have am opportunity to spend time with with their families on Mother Day.

Plans call for the festival to open on Friday, May 12, from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. It officially opens again on Saturday, May 13, at 10 a.m. and is expected to remain open until 7 p.m. A carnival at the site may stay open later, organizers said. Opening ceremonies are set for 10:30 a.m. on Saturday — the second day of the festival.