The Quadrangle

Issue date: 9/28/05 Section: Arts & Entertainment

Mulberry Street was bustling with excitement as people from all over came to the Big Apple to enjoy the San Gennaro Festival. What was once a day-long festival, has transformed into a two week event. More than 300 street vendors set up to greet people from all different racial and ethnic backgrounds. The streets were decorated with festive banners and arches in the colors of the Italian flag.

The celebration was packed with stands of games, authentic Italian foods, and restaurants in commemoration of Naples' patron saint.

Little Italy's most famous restaurants welcomed festival visitors with an inviting atmosphere. Extra awnings enabled restaurants to accommodate more customers. The scent of wine and food filled the air, resembling the true gastronomy of Italy. Sambuca's Café and Desserts and Da Nico's Ristorante were, without a doubt, the places to eat at the festival. Both are moderately priced, with dishes ranging from $9-$17. Sambuca's is well known for its delicious bakery and traditional Italian meals. The most popular purchase is their famous Italian cappuccino and ricotta-filled cannolis. Adorning the walls are autographed photos of celebrities from the past and present who have visited this recognized establishment.

Da Nico's offers every type of classic Italian dish from pasta to chicken to veal. Their large selection makes it easy to find something for everyone to enjoy. Some specialties include manicotti with marinara sauce, chicken marsala, and Mussels Fra Diavolo. The 2004 Zagat Survey voted it as one of the best restaurants in New York City. On the downside, gratuity was automatically added to the total of the meal, and the service was less than stellar.

Although the feast was geared towards Italians, people of all ethnic backgrounds and ages benefited. Vendors set up along the festival streets and sold a wide array of goods and merchandise, including official Little Italy souvenirs, jewelry, clothing, international foods, and Italian music CDs. The feast also had a number of arcade games, as well as many more activities for children, including carnival rides. For the older crowd, hand rolled cigars, piña coladas and strawberry daiquiris were a big hit. The festival also acknowledged the Greek heritage by selling a variety of traditional foods like gyros and baklava.

Although a party atmosphere permeated the feast, people did not forget to reflect on the figure behind it. Many visitors took a moment to kneel in front of the shrine of San Gennaro, an Italian bishop who endured persecution and became a martyr. On Sept. 19, the actual feast day, the festival held a religious procession that ran along Mulberry and Mott Streets, between Canal and Houston Streets. The procession was followed by a Mass held at the Most Precious Blood Church, the National Shrine of San Gennaro, on Mulberry Street.

The continued growth of the feast has enabled the non-profit organization, the Sons of San Gennaro, to donate more than $1 million to worthy causes, providing services for children and education in the Little Italy community and beyond. Each year, sizeable donations are distributed to many worthy organizations to help the needy and the young, with this festival surpassing all other festivals in the amount of donations.

The Feast of San Gennaro was an event that has blossomed into a proud Italian tradition that should not be missed next year. The outing to Mulberry Street will ensure an escape to Italy for a night.

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