After attending several festivals honoring other cultures like German and Chinese, I was ready to indulge in some carbohydrates courtesy of Italy. We walked around the festival grounds, browsing the options before narrowing down our choices to toasted ravioli, mini meatball sandwiches/sliders and for the main course, stuffed eggplant (which was unbelievable). We topped it off with handmade cannolis.
In addition to the elaborate food, there were three stages of entertainment, including a man singing on the Piazza DiMaggio. The Piazza is a beautiful plaza with fountains and a statue of Yankee (and Italian-American) legend Joe DiMaggio, dedicated to the Italian-American immigrants who flocked to the Taylor Street neighborhood—“Little Italy”—in the early 1900’s. It is located across from the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame.
There were also several extreme Jersey Shore inspired guidos and guidettes crawling around. The vendors were not only stocked with Italian soccer gear (despite the Azzurri’s poor showing in the World Cup), but they also had shirts that said “Jersey Shore Guidette” and “Jersey Shore Fist Pump Team” written in the symbolic red-green-white colors. I chose this as the low point of the festival and would have lost my appetite had I not already stuffed my face—and stomach—with delicious food.
There was even a game area at the festival, but I decided to eat my money’s worth rather than risk it on the chance I might win an inflatable hammer or stuffed teddy bear. Oh yeah, and there was a Bocce court.
I even met a new friend… this Roman soldier. I honestly think he dressed up for fun and not because he had to as part of the festivities. Hey, his get-up sure beats a blow out, gold-plated jewelry and a fake spray tan!
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