by Ed Bevilacqua

The 37th Annual September San Gennaro Feast is officially over: 60,000 people, 80+ food vendors, 5 days --of most people choosing to share a sensory-immersive experience: sounds, smells, sights, tastes, etc. Anthony Palmisano and his team, including Tony Sacca, once again brought several ideas to life.

Wednesday night (opening night), Frank Bonanno (see below) spent about 45 minutes in Anthony's on-site trailer office talking; much of it was about keeping Italian culture alive and how we can do that. For Anthony it is the San Gennaro Feast (and the other events he does around the country). Anthony includes the historical routes of the Feast through the procession of San Gennaro statue.

Though the Feast includes every food and beverage imaginable, it is an Italian event --as it should be. For Anthony, it's a way for Italian Americans to share our culture, for those who "wish they were Italian" it's a vital way to get a flavor of that part of us that makes us unique (i.e. striving to do produce the best).

Those of us who don't go because "It's not Italian" are missing the point entirely. Going back to our Roman roots, we are who we are because we are inclusive of others. We welcome everyone who shares our good and positive ideals. For example, at the time of Augustus (say 1 AD) there were 45 million people made up the Roman Empire --a small percentage were actually from Italy. We are an inclusive people. It is true that some attendees (i.e. the small group who aren't Italian and who don't wish they were), take pleasure in their own poor behavior (show some pity because they just exhibit how they were raised); but that just tends to amplify our own good culture. So, it is wrong to say, "I'm not going because there are too many non-Italians!"

We had a booth, in a good location, near the stage. The booth was staffed by Larson Training Centers students (i.e. people currently incarcerated who are getting an education so that they can obtain marketable skills and not return to prison) I was there for all but 6 hours. Frank Bonanno and Gaetano D'Aquino made it all possible. Frank's company, Fifth Avenue Restaurant Group, supplied the pizza ovens, refrigerator, 120 pizzas, 220 Ricotta Torte's and 150 Trattoria Reggiano tiramisu deserts. The D'Aquino family supplied 70# of espresso and several prizes.

Tony Sacca, for the 36th year in a row, arranged a great line-up of entertainment, including several local favorites.

The secret? The San Gennaro Feast attracts the next generation! Of the 60,000 attendees perhaps 10,000 were in strollers or pushing them. This was their shot at Italian American culture outside their own families. These are the people who will share future stories and make this event part of their annual routines.

San Gennaro Feast is perhaps "too much" for those who choose to not go "because it isn't Italian": too much real life bustling with people, things to do, too much food to eat, too much music to listen to, rides to ride, etc.

The secret is that we should follow the lead of Anthony and Frank and Gaetano and Tony and the others who make things happen, so the rest of us can enjoy it.

This year we had 3 primary Sponsors: Bonanno's New York Pizza, Trattoria Reggiano and D'Aquino Italian Importing Co. In May we should have 20: 4 different restaurants introducing people to great Italian food each day. The next generation of club member is out there wanting to feel connected.