What is the San Gennaro Festival in NYC and when is it happening 2023?
What has street food, Italian people and parades?
If you said Hoboken, think again. San Gennaro Fest in Little Italy is the answer we were going for, and — if you've been on social media in the past few days — chances are you've already heard of it.
Contrary to the Instagram posts and TikToks, though, San Gennaro has a rich history that goes far beyond Mulberry Street.
Here's the SparkNotes version, and why the ancient feast is suddenly blowing up online.
What is San Gennaro Festival?
The San Gennaro Festival is another name for the Feast of San Gennaro, an Italian festival that was originally held to commemorate Saint Gennaro after he died as a martyr after religious prosecution in 305 AD. The initial event lasted for one day.
When we talk about San Gennaro Fest today, however, we're not talking about that. In 1926, a group of Italian immigrants brought the festival to the United States. Lining up along Mulberry Street in Manhattan's Little Italy, the small congregation strove to continue the tradition they had experienced in their home country.
Overtime, the event gained popularity. Expanding from one day to eleven, it is now one of New York City's biggest food and drink street fairs — and a massive tourist attraction.
When is San Gennaro Festival 2023?
Each year, beginning on the second Thursday of September, New York City begins its 11-day San Gennaro Fest.
This year, the event will run from Thursday September 14 through Sunday September 24.
Why is San Gennaro Festival trending online?
Because it's mid-September, so 'tis the season.
What can you expect at San Gennaro Festival?
"The feast of all feasts," as the event's organizers call it, San Gennaro Fest will be loaded with Italian street foods. From zeppoles to sausage and pepper subs, it'll have all your stereotypical Italian-American eats covered. We can't guarantee, however, that they'll taste good (or be reasonably priced).
There will also be floats, bands and celebrity appearances. Some of this year's stars include Euphoria's Kathrine Narducci and singer Jenna Esposito.
Where is San Gennaro Festival NYC?
San Gennaro Fest is located in Little Italy along Mulberry Street between Canal and Houston Streets. The festival stage (where the celebrities will appear beginning at 6:30 p.m. each night) is located on the corner of Grand and Mott Streets.
Do other cities have San Gennaro Feasts?
Sure, other cities — like Vegas — pay homage to the patron Saint, but none do it quite like New York.
Kara VanDooijeweert is a food writer for NorthJersey.com and The Record. If you can't find her in Jersey's best restaurants, she's probably off running a race course in the mountains. Catch her on Instagram: @karanicolev & @northjerseyeats, join our NorthJerseyEats Facebook group, and sign up for her North Jersey Eats newsletter.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: San Gennaro Festival 2023: What is it, when is it in NYC?
