Hold on to your cannolis! The 99th Annual Feast of San Gennaro Festival returns to the neighborhood of Little Italy, Manhattan on Thursday, Sept. 11 through Sunday, Sept. 21.

The festival celebrates the life of the patron saint of Naples and Bishop of Beneveto, Italy, Saint San Gennaro, who was martyred in 305 AD, and will commence with food, live entertainment, and other activities celebrating Italian culture.

What once started as a simple event to celebrate Italian culture at the turn of the 20th century has grown into a prosperous celebration of heritage reaching over 11 blocks.

The main events of the festival will begin with the Blessing of the Strands on Thursday, Sept. 11 at 6 p.m. The Blessing of the Strands is when a Parish Priest blesses all the festival’s shops, vendors, merch

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