78th NYC San Gennaro Festivities
September 13, 2005 
The 78th Annual Feast of San Gennaro will be held September 15-25, 2005 in NYC’s Little Italy.
The San Gennaro festivities have been an annual event for me — and not just because of my Italian heritage!
It’s because of the delicious sausage heros they serve every year! And, more seriously, for the sense of community I feel each time I go to Manhattan’s Little Italy.
Even as Chinatown tries hard to expand into the historical Little Italy neighborhood, it’s as if the real Italians living in the neighborhood — from those on the street to the various shop owners I meet — recognize my Italian heritage. And that is a unique atmosphere, indeed.
And the daily parade lead by a band following the San Gennaro statue is pretty amazing, as well. I’ll have to dig up my photos from last year for you guys or take some more this time around.
If there was a Little Ireland, I suspect I might feel the same thing there if it were similar to the character of the Little Italy neighborhood, but so far I haven’t found one. And no, Hell’s Kitchen doesn’t count as an Irish neighborhood. It definitely was one, but so was the Five Points.
Anyway, my point was that you — no matter what your heritage — should stop by the San Gennaro festival and get a sausage sandwich. You’ll be happy you did, trust me.
