Little Italy prepares for New York's 100th Feast of San Gennaro.

Little Italy in New York is preparing to experience a historic moment: the 100th edition of the Festa di San Gennaro, the largest Italian festival in the United States, which will take place from September 17 to 27, 2026.

For eleven days, fifteen blocks around Mulberry Street will be closed to traffic and transformed into a vast space of celebration and tradition. The festival will offer a wide variety of Italian culinary specialties, including fried zeppole, cannoli, sausages with peppers, arancini, pizza, and fried calamari, accompanied by approximately 300 vendors.

There will also be eating-everything contests, with daily challenges between participants who will compete for the title by consuming the largest amount of cannoli, meatballs, and zeppole possible.

The celebration pays homage to San Gennaro di Benevento, patron saint of Naples, who will be the protagonist of a procession on the afternoon of September 26th, accompanied by marching bands and floats. The day will conclude with a special concert broadcast live from Naples, strengthening the bond between New York's Italian-American community and its Italian cultural roots.

This event not only celebrates a century of history, but also represents an important moment of aggregation and identity for the Italian community in the United States.