This year marks the 91st anniversary of NYC beloved Feast of San Gennaro in Little Italy, which will take place September 14-24. City Guide is a proud sponsor. It's the largest and longest-running festival in the country, a celebration of the Patron Saint of Naples, as well as a celebration of Italian immigrants, welcoming some one million visitors annually.
Special Guests for 2017
Bronx-born, Academy Award-nominated actor Chazz Palminteri (The Usual Suspects, Bullets Over Broadway, writer of both film and Broadway’s A Bronx Tale), and Brooklyn-born Tony Danza (TV's Who’s the Boss?, Broadway’s Honeymoon in Vegas and Netflix’s upcoming show Good Cop) will shine some extra star-light on the Little Italy celebration that spans 11 blocks around Canal and Houston Streets.
Noted WCBS FM Radio Personality Joe Causi will host his annual live broadcast on Sept. 16, and Cousin Brucie will host his annual live broadcast on Sept. 23 on Sirius XM. As usual, both live broadcasts will originate from the Feast stage from 7 to 10 PM.
Festival Highlights
*Palminteri will be this year’s Grand Marshal of the Parade, which will take place on Sept. 16, at 2pm. The procession begins immediately following a Celebratory Mass held at the Most Precious Blood Church on Mulberry Street, the National Shrine of San Gennaro, winding along the length of Mulberry and Mott Streets, between Canal and Houston Streets. The parade will feature numerous floats and nearly a dozen school marching bands.
Get ready to fill up on decadent cannolis! There's a cannoli eating contest on Sept. 15!
*The cannoli eating contest will take place on the Main Stage, located on the corner of Grand and Mott Streets, on Friday, Sept. 15.
*The Solemn High Mass Celebrating the Patron Saint of Naples Shrine Church of the Most Precious Blood (113 Baxter St.) Religious Procession with the Statue of San Gennaro takes place at 6pm.
*Tony Danza will MC the festival’s second annual Meatball Eating Contest on Saturday, Sept. 23. In addition, a cake celebrating the lives and friendships of Dean Martin (this year marks his 100th birthday) and recently passed Jerry Lewis will be carved and served to onlookers by the Main Stage.
© Stu99 | Dreamstime.com - Little Italy Photo
*Festivities run each and every day, from 11:30am-11pm, til midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.
*Free music will be performed every evening, from 7pm-9:30pm, in addition to food demonstrations.
*The Festival gives back to the local community. Figli di San Gennaro, the not-for-profit organization that has sponsored Little Italy's annual Feast of San Gennaro since 1996, has donated over $2 million to neighborhood schools, parishes and other charities.
The Feast of San Gennaro is easily reachable by subway. For more information, visit sangennaro.org.
