Galbani's Italian Feast of San Gennaro returns to Jimmy Kimmel's stage, Sept. 26-29th

Hollywood,  CA (West Hollywood Today) 9/23/2013

Photo credit & facts by Karen Ostlund
Images are from Feast of San Gennaro 2012

Sponsor Galbani Cheese walks the street of Feast of San Gennaro,
outside Jimmy Kimmel's stage

The San Gennaro Foundation will kick off the October’s Italian Heritage Month, a celebration of everything it means to be Italian, with their annual street festival, The Galbani® Cheese Italian Feast of San Gennaro, Los Angeles, September 26^th-29^th.

Since 2002, the San Gennaro Foundation has donated over $1,000,000 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.

Host Jimmy Kimmel (center) with talk radio 790

 Galbani® Cheese (formerly Precious® Cheese), same great taste, different name, is proud to be back for the 12th annual Feast! “We are very excited that Precious® Cheese has joined the Galbani® family of cheeses,” said Jessica Ruth, spokesperson for Precious® Galbani®.

 “We’re so happy to continue our support with The San Gennaro Foundation as title sponsor of the Galbani® Italian Feast of San Gennaro and are looking forward to this wonderful event that brings friends and families together to celebrate Italian food and culture.”

 

The San Gennaro Foundation is 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.

Actor Bryan Cranston from "Breaking Bad"
came to try Italian meatballs. His show
won Emmys 2013 for best drama series.

“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 twelfth 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, 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 Galbani® Cheese La Cucina Italiana Cooking Stage with special guest, Galbani® Cheese’s very own Chef Marco.

Frankie's sausages, peppers & meatball sandwiches

 

 A Procession of St. Gennaro on Hollywood Blvd. will begin at noon on Saturday, September 28^th 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 eleven 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.”

 

Singer Frank Stallone (center) & band coming off stage

 

Opening night fundraising gala,September 26th “Prima Notte 2013”, will be hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and Adam Carolla and pay tribute to Italy from North to South, including music made famous from the “San Remo Music Festival” and “That’s Amore! An American Italian Songbook.”. 

 

The evening will feature Mark DeCarlo as Master of Ceremonies, silent and live auctions, an “Italian Casino & Poker Tournament” and The Italians are coming! weekend car raffle for a Fiat, all to raise funds for the San Gennaro Foundation.

 

 

Actor Ken Davitian, best known from the Borat movie
 in front of main stage.

 

In honor of the Feast’s 12th Anniversary and to raise funds for their various charities, there will be special events going on throughout the weekend, including a “Gravy-Sauce” competition and “Galbani® String Cheese-building” contest hosted by The Meatballs of Comedy, a Live Telethon for Veterans from the Main Stage on Sunday September 29^th.

 The weekend will feature a ‘Will You Marrow Me?” donor campaign for Be the Match registry, which recruits marrow donors to save lives of blood cancer patients.  A Blood Drive for City of Hope, Cedars Sinai, Children’s Hospital and American Red Cross will also be hosted on-site.

 

The festival venue is located across the street from the Hollywood and Highland complex and Metro Red Line, directly behind the Jimmy Kimmel Live Theater at 1651 N. Highland Ave.

The band "Louis Prima Jr & the Witnesses" were
featuring Sarah Spiegel

 

 The Feast will be held September 27-29, 2013 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.

 Ticket information “Prima Notte” & hourly schedule September 26^th-29^th, visit: www.feastofla.org 

 

 

 

Walk-around musicians

 

 

Galbani and Precious brands are brought to you by Lactalis Retail Dairy, Inc. LRDI, a division of Lactalis American Group, Inc, which, is a part of Groupe Lactalis, one of the largest dairy companies in the world.

Lactalis produces a wide array of natural cheese products, included among the leading brands of mozzarella, ricotta, fresh mozzarella, and snack cheese sold in the United States. www.galbanicheese.com