Feast of San Gennaro happens for the 10th year in a row (September 22-25, 2011) Preview and Tickets
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10th Annual Precious® Cheese
Italian Feast of San Gennaro, Los Angeles
September 23–25, 2011
“Hooray for Hollywood!” Prima Notte Gala on Thursday,
September 22nd to Pay Tribute to Italian American Actors in Hollywood and Frank Mancuso Sr., Former CEO of Paramount and MGM Studios
Community festival celebrates Italian culture with three days of music, food, wine, rides and games, plus an attempt to break a Guinness World Record
Hollywood, August 11, 2011 – The San Gennaro Foundation kicks off October’s Italian Heritage Month, a celebration of everything it means to be Italian, with their annual street festival, The Precious® Cheese Italian Feast of San Gennaro, Los Angeles. Since 2002, the San Gennaro Foundation has donated over $750,000 to local charities that benefit Los Angeles shelters for children and families, food banks for the homeless, and school programs for underprivileged youth, among others. Hosted by event co-founder Jimmy Kimmel and Adam Carolla, the Feast will once again take over Hawthorn Ave. (between Highland and Orange) in Hollywood.
“The Feast of San Gennaro is something my family and I look forward to every year,” Jimmy Kimmel said. “I have no doubt that our tenth year will be a great one.”
Inspired by the 80+year old New York City tradition, the Feast celebrates Italian culture, entertainment and cuisine, and will feature great food, music, genealogy research, a kid’s corner, bocce, bingo, carnival rides, games and more. Surprise celebrity guests will join the cooking team, as they demonstrate Italian recipes on the Precious® Cheese La Cucina Italiana Cooking Stage with special guest, Precious® Cheese’s very own Chef Marco.
A Procession of St. Gennaro on Hollywood Blvd. will begin at noon on Saturday, September 24th and conclude with a Mass on the Main Stage presided by Monsignor Antonio Cacciapuoti.
“We have been bringing Italian culture to the heart of Hollywood for nine years running,” said Frankie Competelli, President of The San Gennaro Foundation, Los Angeles. “We are thrilled to once again, celebrate tradition, family, and great food with the community.”
The fun-filled weekend commences Thursday, September 22nd with the opening night fundraising gala, “Hooray for Hollywood! Prima Notte 2011,” which will pay tribute to Italian American Actors in Hollywood and Frank Mancuso Sr., former CEO of Paramount and MGM Studios.
Tickets for the opening night gala are available online at www.feastofla.org and are $100 each for VIP admission and $50 each for general admission. Reserved tables for 10 guests are available for $2,000 for VIP and $1,000 general.
In honor of the Feast’s 10th Anniversary there will be special events going on throughout the weekend to raise funds for their various charities, including an attempt to break the Guinness World Record of Longest Marathon of Television Watching (the current record is 86 hours, 6 minutes and 41 seconds of continuous television watching), by watching 100 hours of Italian-themed films and television shows, a “Gravy – Sauce” competition hosted by The Meatballs of Comedy on Sunday afternoon, and the Feast will partner with the Order Sons of Italy and Veteran organizations in broadcasting a Live Telethon from the Main Stage.
“Precious® Cheese is proud to be presenting sponsor again this year helping to bring authentic Italian culture, entertainment, food and fun to the Los Angeles area,” said Jessica Ruth, spokesperson for Precious® Cheese. “The San Gennaro Foundation’s commitment to preserving Italian-American heritage resonates with the Precious® Cheese brand and we look forward to continuing to raise funds for the organization and its programs.”
The festival venue is conveniently located across the street from the Hollywood and Highland complex, directly behind the Jimmy Kimmel Live Theater at 1651 N. Highland Ave. The Feast will be held September 23-25, 2011 from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. General admission is $5 and kids under 12 are free. All proceeds benefit the San Gennaro Foundation, established to provide aid to children and families in need in Los Angeles.
For more information about the Precious® Cheese Italian Feast of San Gennaro, Los Angeles, please visit www.feastofla.org or call (818) 508-0082.
About Precious® Cheese
Precious® brand cheese is brought to you by Lactalis Retail Dairy, Inc. LRDI is part of Groupe Lactalis, one of the largest dairy companies in the world. Lactalis produces a wide array of all-natural cheese products included among the leading brands of mozzarella, ricotta, fresh mozzarella, string and stick cheese sold in the United States. Our wide variety of specialty cheese is available to retail, foodservice and industrial customers. More information on Precious® cheese may be found at www.preciouscheese.com.
About The San Gennaro Foundation
The San Gennaro Foundation is a 501(3)c non-profit created by celebrity Jimmy Kimmel and producer Douglas DeLuca, along with some of Los Angeles’ most prominent Italian-American citizens, to benefit underprivileged children and homeless in Los Angeles, as well as to provide entertainment and cultural enrichment to the community through its non-profit, cultural outreach program.
The Foundation’s mission is to uphold the principles established by St. Gennaro, patron saint of Naples who worked tirelessly to help people in need. In addition to fundraising, the group seeks to perpetuate cultural identity and solidarity within the Italian American community. All events are intended to embody the attributes of generosity and goodwill that define the Italian spirit. While some efforts celebrate Italian culture, the Foundation and its programs are not limited to Italian Americans and are supported by diverse individuals.
For more information, please contact Shari Mesulam at [email protected] or 310.633.0056