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October 4, 2013 Page 47
San Gennaro — Feast This Weekend!
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elebrate the Hampton Bays community this weekend, as the hamlet taps into its amore of all things Italian to host the 3rd Annual San Gennaro Feast of the Hamptons. The two-day festival, held on Saturday and Sunday, October 5 and 6, will feature food and drink vendors, live music, a carnival, fireworks and a raffle for a Fiat. “[The festival] originated by the Chamber to bring people into Hampton Bays during the fall,” say Rick Martel, President of the San Gennaro Feast of the Hamptons. The annual event raises money and awareness for the Hampton Bays community. Charities that benefit include Maureen’s Haven, the Coalition for Women’s Cancers at Southampton Hospital and the San Gennaro Feast of the Hamptons Scholarship Fund. San Gennaro Feast of the Hamptons is a 501c(3) organization sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce.
San Gennaro festivals are celebrated across the country—notably in downtown New York City—in honor of the patron saint of Naples, Italy. “It’s really a tremendous event,” says Martel. “It brings more people into town than any other happening.” Martel is hoping that between 15,000 and 20,000 people will descend upon the hamlet this weekend, a number in line with the amount of past attendees.
The majority of the weekend’s festivities will take place on Good Ground Road, and the entertainment will rock the town from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., both days. Vendors will be sprinkled near the Hampton Bays train station, allowing visitors to sample Italian culinary delights and browse through artisan crafts. Kids of all ages can enjoy the ever-popular carnival area. The festival kicks off with the Opening Ceremony parade, which will be held on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. This year’s Grand Marshal is Dominick Spoto, member of the Southampton town Kiwanis Club and the San Gennaro Feast of the Hamptons Board of Directors. Spoto’s grandparents emigrated to the U.S. from Italy. He has resided in Hampton Bays since 1977 and has permanently lived in the hamlet for Lining up at last year’s celebrations! the past 10 years. After the parade, Saturday’s entertainment Sunday at 8:30 p.m. San Gennaro festivals are celebrated across the schedule will feature music by Big Mike Lynche, an American Idol finalist; and Henry Haid, who starred on country—notably in downtown New York City—in Broadway’s Movin’ Out, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. A dazzling honor of the patron saint of Naples, Italy. A martyr for show by Grucci, Long Island’s famed fireworks family, his Christian faith, San Gennaro was beheaded at the order of a pagan official. The blood of San Gennaro will follow at 9 p.m. Other musical talents to play throughout the is still encased in two vials, preserved in Naples. weekend include Franco Corso, dubbed “The Though the blood remains dry for most of the year, it Voice of Romance;” the smooth voice of Johnny occasionally takes on more “lifelike” qualities, turning Avino; the Filthy Crickets, a Motown group; and to liquid and bubbling. This typically happens on the Carmello the Singing Pizza Man, as well as a first Sunday in May, the feast of the transfer of the saint’s relics and on September 19, the anniversary of variety of DJs. Capping off the event in true Italian spirit, this San Gennaro’s death. year’s event will feature a drawing for a Fiat— Visit sangennarofeastofthehamptons.com for una piccolo auto. Only 250 tickets will be sold for $100 each, and the winner will be announced on more details on this weekend’s events. Courtesy San Gennaro Feast
By KELLY LAFFEY
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