Annual San Gennaro Feast Returns to the North End

Special to the Regional Review

The Saint Gennaro Foundation of Boston, founded by Frank DePasquale, Nick Varano, Angelo Vigliotta, and Pasquale Trotta, along with the North End founded Pastene brands, is bringing back the much-acclaimed San Gennaro Feast in Boston’s historic North End on August 30 through September 2. Friday 5-11 p.m. and Saturday- Monday: 12-11 p.m.

San Gennaro Feast is returning this summer and features delicious food and drink from North End restaurants and vendors, live music and dancing, and culminates with a mass and procession with the statue of San Gennaro.

The three-day feast will take place in the Paul Revere Mall on Hanover Street in the North End and will conclude on Sunday with an outdoor mass, followed by a procession of Saint Gennaro and a Sunday Supper sponsored by North End’s legendary brand, Pastene, which is celebrating 150 years. The Sunday Supper is a sit-down, family-style Italian meal where tables of ten will be sold for guests to enjoy an authentic North End meal, reminiscent of the way the families in the neighborhood enjoyed dining every Sunday.

There will also be a Beer Garden, Espresso Martini Bar sponsored by DrinkThat Espresso Martini, a dozen North End restaurants, live DJs, musical performances by Sal The Voice, France Joli, and many more. The feast is put on by the Saint Gennaro Foundation, which is a nonprofit foundation named for the patron saint of Naples, Italy. Proceeds from the feast will benefit Autism Awareness. For more information, please visit: Community — North End Chamber of Commerce.

The Saint Gennaro Foundation of Boston is an IRS approved 501 C3 non-profit organization. All current and future donations will be used to help autistic children. Our mission is to build a structure that houses an educational center that will comprise of about thirty furnished rooms, a cafeteria, a laundry, and a chapel for prayer. Outside will include a farm-like space with pets that serve as excellent therapy for children. This center will give hospitality to families who come from within and outside our region without means to take care of their children. That is the goal we have set ourselves and this we will do thanks to the generous support we have received.

Pastene is a legacy brand that has been bringing family and friends to the table with premium specialty foods for 150 years. The company got its start back in 1848 when founder, Luigi Pastene, emigrated from Italy to the United States and started a modest pushcart operation in Boston, Massachusetts. His entrepreneurial spirit laid the foundation for what would become one of North America’s oldest family-run businesses. In 1874, Luigi’s son, Pietro began importing Italian ingredients and products to Fulton Street in Boston’s historic Italian North End neighborhood and Pastene & Co. was born. Now, 150 years later, Pastene continues to be known for its unrivaled quality and taste, carrying nearly 150 specialty products including premium canned tomatoes, pasta, sauces, grated cheese, oil and vinegar, beans, breadcrumbs, condiments, fish products, rice, polenta, gourmet vegetables and peppers, as well as hard-to-find varieties of olives and artichokes. It remains a family-run business and is owned by brothers Mark and Christopher Tosi, fifth generation family members of Pietro Pastene. More information can be found at Pastene.com and on Instagram and Facebook.