Popular Italian street festival brings spice to town

By Karen Ostlund

Kimmel takes a bite of San Gennaro treats

Hollywood CA (Hollywood Today) 9/30/08 October is Italians Heritage month here in US and that means to celebrate everything that means to be Italian.
Hollywood celebrate the Italian street festival in honor to the Italian culture one week before other cities in US and the festivals’ home is located in between Hawthorn and Highland.
The “Feast” is actually inspired by a seventy-eight year old tradition from New York with entertainment, cuisine,kids carnival rides and bingo.
Its original home in Los Angeles was the Grove.
TV host and co-founder Jimmy Kimmel announced “he was happy to see all the same faces from previous year and this year he will demonstrate with Chris Bianco a genuine cooking class of Italian pizza”.
Co-host Adam Carolla will team up with him on stage during the whole three days as a presenter and auctioneer.
Other surprise cooking team during the first two days was “the Chief” and Precious Cheese chef Marc Sciortino.

Precious Cheese,the festival biggest sponsor gave away $80,000 to charity programs helping homeless and underprivileged children during Feast Of San Gennaro Opening Ceremony.

The fesival is here in Hollywood for its seventh year and it ran through September 28th.

A series of awards was as usual given away to memorable Italians.

The San Gennaro Foundation gave away the “Italian Heritage Award” to music sensation Jerry Vale at the “prima notte” and Robert Barbera, publisher of “L’Italo-Americano newspaper got the “Humanitarian Award”.
The newspaper L’Italo Americano has been in circulation since 1908 this week and celebrates one hundred years.
Master of ceremonies Mark De Carlo introduced many talented music act by Christina Fontanelli, Joey Gian,Tony O,Alfio,Deana Martin and the Pat Longo Orchestra.
Many vendors were surprised that “even if times and prices is getting higher to rent space for the restaurants, the festival seem to grow bigger with years.