A perfect stage for a Sicilian Festival

An incredibly rich program will entertain visitors in the streets throughout the day. At noon, a colorful procession of costumed musicians and dancers will parade carrying flags from the different regions of Italy.

 

Four stages will feature non-stop Italian and Sicilian entertainment. Direct from New York City, soprano Cristina Fontanelli returns to San Diego by popular demand with her operatic and Broadway repertoire. The festival will also feature the nationally acclaimed Roman Holiday Ensemble which will be on hand with their costumed musicians and dancers to provide a lively show of Sicilian and Italian music. The Grape Street stage will feature culinary demonstrations from San Diego’s leading chefs, highlighted by a pasta-eating contest. New this year will be an Opera Stage featuring local opera singers with a repertoire of Italian opera and classic Neapolitan selections.

 

True to its efforts to preserve the culture of Southern Italy and Sicily, the Sicilian Festival is delighted to welcome the world-renowned percussionist and vocalist Alessandra Belloni, together with her trio of musicians. She is the only woman in the U.S. and Italy who specializes in traditional Southern Italian folk dances and percussion she learned from years of research in ancient Italian towns.

 

Food booths representing the many restaurants in Little Italy will line the streets to satisfy the hungry crowds by serving up Sicilian specialties of all varieties.  “Tarantino’s Sausages” will also be on hand to serve up some of the best Italian sausages in the nation. Peroni, the official beer sponsor of the Sicilian Festival, will feature Peroni Nastro Azzurro, the #1 Premium brand in Italy imported from Rome, in the beer and wine pavilion.  Sicilian wine will be served in the wine garden, and visitors can even try their hand at grape stomping in a barrel as part of the Festival fun.

 

A Sicilian cultural zone will feature photo and cultural displays by local and national authors and artisans that reflect the Sicilian American heritage in San Diego. The area will feature chalk art and displays of the rich history of San Diego’s tuna fishing industry, which flourished from the beginning of the 20th century until the 1970s.

 

Along Beech Street from Kettner to Columbia Street, car lovers will encounter Bellissimo! A Celebration of Italian Automotive Artistry, which will offer an intimate look at a broad spectrum of Italian car designs – including Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini, Fiat, Lancia, and Alfa Romeo.

 

The Sicilian Festival is also the perfect venue for families with children. All children’s activities are FREE, and include a large inflatable slide, puppet theatre shows, face painting, and many other activities to keep the bambini entertained throughout day—without emptying their parents’ pocketbooks! A very special guest at this year’s festival will be newborn Amelia Tripoli, born March 4, 2012 to Tony and Diana Tripoli, who were married on stage at the 2010 Sicilian Festival.

 

Free street parking is available throughout the Little Italy neighborhood, as well as in the north lot of the County Administration Building, with a free shuttle to and from the Festival. The AMTRAK station is less than a mile from the Sicilian Festival area and can be reached either by foot or by using the San Diego Trolley

For more information, log onto the Sicilian Festival website at www.sicilianfestival.org .