Feast of San Gennaro Grand Procession in Little Italy

The annual Feast of San Gennaro, New York City's oldest religious street festival held its grand procession yesterday. The 11-day festival kicked off in Little Italy on Thursday, offering entertainment, music and a wide variety of food. The grand procession took place yesterday and featured former New York Governor Mario Cuomo and his wife Matilda as grand marshals. The festival, a celebration of the Patron Saint of Naples, runs along Mulberry Street between Canal and Houston Streets. The statue of San Gennaro was carried from its permanent home in the Most Precious Blood Church through Mulberry Street. The festival will run until September 22.

"Audrey Hepburn" and "Temper Tot" Murals on Mulberry Street in Little Italy

Brooklyn-based artist, Tristan Eaton recently created this eye-catching mural, entitled Audrey Hepburn, a 12-foot-by-7-foot multicolored mural of silver screen legend Audrey Hepburn on the southeast corner of Mulberry and Broome streets, on a wall belonging to Caffe Roma. Eaton juxtaposed a black and white illustration with patterns of abstract color to create the visually captivating portrait. Set within a white box, the large area of vibrant colors boldly pop out against the red brick wall. 

Another eye-catching street artwork is a four-story mural of a green creature called "Temper Tot" by Ron English on a parking-lot wall in the heart of Little Italy. It depicts a grouchy child with a muscular body before or after a tantrum wearing cutoff jeans. The not-so-jolly green giant frowns upon Mulberry Street, across from the Church of the Most Precious Blood, a 125-year-old Roman Catholic parish that hosts the Feast of San Gennaro. Reaction on Mulberry Street ranged from “hideous” and “disgusting” to “funny and creative.” The murals are part of the Little Italy Street Art Project, a group founded last summer to build up the neighborhood as a creative destination and to cultivate a broader view of Little Italy among New Yorkers.

One Rainy Night In Manhattan's Little Italy

This is Little Italy on a rainy night, with its new welcome sign and reflected colored lights from rain-drenched streets. Once known for its large Italian population, this neighborhood today consists of Italian stores and restaurants.

85th Annual Feast Of San Gennaro In Little Italy

Statue of San Gennaro

The Feast of San Gennaro is New York City’s longest-running, biggest and most revered religious outdoor festival. It is being held on the streets of historic Little Italy in lower Manhattan from September 15-25. Little Italy served as the first home for hundreds of thousands of Italian immigrants who came to America to improve their lives beginning in the early part of the 20th century.

Since 1996, Figli di San Gennaro, Inc. (Children of San Gennaro), a not-for-profit community organization dedicated to keeping alive the spirit and faith of the early Italian immigrants, has been sponsoring the annual celebration. This year’s Feast is expected once again to draw more than a million visitors to participate in the annual Salute to the Patron Saint of Naples. Although this is an annual celebration of faith and redemption, the Feast of San Gennaro is known worldwide for its festive atmosphere, an 11-day event featuring religious processions and colorful parades, free musical entertainment, a wide variety of ethnic food delicacies, charming restaurants and cafes with indoor and outdoor dining, and even a cannoli-eating competition. There are hundreds of licensed street vendors selling international foods and Little Italy souvenirs. Today, September 19th, is the central focus of the celebration being the official Saint Day when a celebratory Mass is held in Most Precious Blood Church, followed immediately by a religious procession. The Statue of San Gennaro is carried from its permanent home in the church through the streets of Little Italy.

St. Patrick's Old Cathedral Becomes The First Basilica of NYC

St. Patrick's Old Cathedral was inaugurated last Sunday as a basilica. The cathedral is located in Little Italy, at 260-264 Mulberry Street between Prince and Houston Streets. It has been a central place of worship for New York's Catholics since 1809. The cathedral was used in such films as "The Godfather" (Part I and Part III) and "Mean Streets."

Little Italy

This is Little Italy, a neighborhood in lower Manhattan once known for its large population of Italians. The neighborhood has become more of a tourist destination than a residential neighborhood. Previously, Little Italy spread from Canal Street north to Houston Street. Today, the section of Mulberry Street between Broome and Canal Streets, lined with Italian restaurants popular with tourists, remains distinctly recognizable as Little Italy. Last Saturday night, we visited Little Italy and had dinner at a fine restaurant called Il Cortile, located at 125 Mulberry Street. Little Italy is worth visiting for delicious imported Italian groceries and to see the Old St. Patrick's Cathedral, as well as a chance to glimpse some of the restaurants and bars made famous by gangsters and members of the Rat Pack.