The Feast of San Gennaro is a festival that takes place at the end of summer every year in Little Italy. This festival stretches for about 11 blocks, starting down on Canal Street and traveling all the way up to Houston Street.
History of San Gennaro
San Gennaro began in 1926, when an Italian family decided they wanted to upkeep their Neapolitan traditions. They held a one-day block party for their protector of Naples, San Gennaro. They began settling along Mulberry street, where the feast still takes place today. This has become a tradition that continues year after year, and is now something that has become not only a New York staple, but a world-known 11 day event. During the feast, the streets of Little Italy have never been more lively between the white, red, and green lights hanging above the street, the hundreds of food vendors, and the live performances going on. Thousands of people join together to experience this feast. My friends and I visit the feast every year. It’s something we look forward to all year long, mostly because we love Italian food.
What to do at San Gennaro
At this feast, you can get anything imaginable; they have plenty of options for everyone. Some of my favorite things I’ve seen there are cannolis, tanghulu, and cacio e pepe. Something about watching pasta being made in a big cheese wheel tickles my brain the right way. Not only is there a plethora of street vendors to choose from, but on top of that, there’s an extraordinary amount of restaurants with hostesses trying to promote their places as well. My personal favorite sit-down restaurant in Little Italy would have to be Sofia’s. Sofia’s is the spot to be at during San Gennaro. The staff and service is excellent, and the food is absolutely amazing. My go-to order is definitely the cacio e pepe. Although the restaurant is in New York year round, the ambiance and experience is only here 11 days a year, making it a must-try! The food is a little pricey though, which is why we save up and only come to Sofia’s during the feast; this is a meal that definitely breaks the bank.
Besides the food, the festival also has a carnival section. There was a Ferris wheel in the street, along with many other rides. They even had an aisle of carnival games as well. This section of the festival literally caused me to disassociate, and made me forget that I was in Little Italy, because it gave me hometown fair vibes! Between having an excessive amount of food and playing an excessive amount of games, there is something for all ages to be eaten or seen at the fair. This feast is such a huge deal for New Yorkers and Italians from all over. Even the Jersey Shore cast made their way to the feast! It is an iconic event that all New Yorkers and tourists try to attend at least once and allows everyone to get a taste of Italian spirit. I would highly recommend making your way to the San Gennaro feast when it’s held next September!