We’re only days away from the 93rd Annual Feast of San Gennaro, held every year in NYC’s historic Little Italy–the Lower Manhattan neighborhood that served as the first home for hundreds of thousands of Italian immigrants.
The 11-day, 10-block Feast will step off on Sept. 12 along Mulberry Street, and more than 1 million people will descend on the neighborhood to experience the culture of the old country.
“There’s truly nothing like San Gennaro,” said Brooklyn resident John Bellini, who visits the feast annually. “It’s the same, but it’s different. It’s set among a very modern time, yet it brings back the stories and flavors of the neighborhood as it was decades ago.”
Italian immigrants brought the tradition in to the Lower East Side in 1926. At that time, the feast was dedicated to the patron saint of Naples, St. Januarius, and first sprang up around a small chapel on Mulberry.
The former immigrant enclave has since dwindled to a few shops and restaurants, but the feast itself has expanded into a massive celebration of Italian heritage, culture, and — above all — food.
The “Beast of all Feasts” runs through Sept. 22.
Get a sense of the atmosphere and festivities below:
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