The Feast of San Gennaro 2024 is a street fair with Italian food, carnival games, live entertainment, and a procession for the main patron saint of Naples, in Downtown Manhattan’s Little Italy. It’s very romantic and something that visitors and new New Yorkers love. It makes a great date.
98th Feast of San Gennaro 2024
The Feast of San Gennaro 2024 Italian street fair is on Mulberry Street, between Canal and Houston, and on Hester St between Baxter St and Centre St, and on Grand St between Baxter St and Centre Market Place, in Manhattan’s Little Italy; from September 12-22, 2024. 🇮🇹
There is live music and dance entertainment every night. There are Cannoli, Zeppole, and Pizza eating contests. There’s also the annual Enrico Caruso Opera Night.
This season honors America’s Armed Forces. The Grand Marshall is celebrity chef Anne Burrell, of the Food Network’s “Worst Cooks in America” show. @chefanneburrell
The Feast opens with a Blessing of the Stands on Thursday, September 12, 2024 from 6-7pm.
The Feast of San Gennaro Grand Procession features Grand marshall Anne Burrell, the Clarity Festival Band, and the Statue of San Gennaro; on Saturday, September 14, 2024 from 2-5pm.
San Gennaro’s feast day is September 19. The Solemn High Mass for San Gennaro is at the Shrine Church of the Most Precious Blood on Thursday, September 19, 2024 at 6pm.
The Feast of San Gennaro closes with a concert by Jenna Esposito; on Sunday, September 22, 2024, from 6-9pm. Free.
Feast of San Gennaro
The Feast of San Gennaro is produced by the Figli di San Gennaro.
During the peak years of Italian migration to New York City (1900-10), many people in this Little Italy came from neighborhoods and villages around Naples. They brought their patron saint with them.
On or around September 19th, the statue of San Gennaro is carried from the Most Precious Blood Church and up Mulberry Street through the fair. Along the way, local business owners attach money to the statue for blessings. It’s a beautiful thing to watch, but please be respectful of this serious religious procession.
San Gennaro
The festival commemorates the death of San Gennaro (Saint Januarius) who was a third century Roman bishop of Naples who was martyred. He lived in the time just before Rome accepted Christianity, and was beheaded for sheltering Christians from persecution.
In many cultures around the world, relics of local saints are venerated. The saint’s body and head were eventually moved to the Naples Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary. Many call it the Cathedral of San Gennaro.
One of the saint’s relics is two vials of his blood. Normally dry, the miracle is that on some occasions, the blood liquifies. There are pilgrimages to the Naples Cathedral on September 19 the day of his murder, December 16 in honor of Naples, and the first Sunday in May to celebrate the reunification of his body. The old legend is that the blood wants to be reunited with his body.
These kind of things sound crazy until you see them with your own eyes. Many Neapolitans will look you in the eye and swear that it is true.
Information
Facebook @feastofsangennaroofficial
Instagram @feastofsangennaro_official