An idea born out of love and pride in our rich Italian-American cultural heritage, the festival will honor the past, celebrate the present, and keep the Italian traditions alive for future generations.
We invite you to become an integral partner in the birth of this new tradition, and help bring to Peekskill the sights, sounds, food and culture that make the Italian-American experience so very special.
Find out about the benefits of sponsoring the Festa Italiana!
Assumption Church | Peekskill BID | Peekskill's Itailian Heritage | eMail Festa | Festa Staff & Contact
Sign up for next year's vendor space | Chamber of Commerce | Paramount Center for the Arts | Italian Festival Locator | Peekskill Links
Peekskill Festa Italiana (View full schedule)
Event Schedule (scroll to view)
Friday. August 13 5pm-l0pm
5:00pm- 6:00pm Boy Scout Color Guard, American and Italian National Anthems, Mayor Foster (Greeting), Presentation of " Distinguished Italian Citizen" award, Father Higgins (Blessing)
6:00pm - 7:00pm Mary Mancini & Mario Tacca
7:30pm - 8:30pm Doctor Johnson / music
9:00pm - 10:00pm The SugaRush Band / music
Saturday. August 14 Noon- 10:00pm
Noon to 1:30pm - Peekskill Middle School Band / Backlash
1:30 PM - 2:30PM - Dance Expressions / Disc Jockey (Italian Music)
2:30PM 3:30PM Magic Show - Margaret Steele(*)
3:30 PM - 4PM TOMATO SAUCE WARS final judging; Award Ceremony
4PM - 5PM Antonia Arts / Tom Spinella - Song and Dance (Tarantella)
5PM - 6PM - Disc Jockey - Contemporary Italian Music
6PM 7PM The Many Voices of Dennis Dell music
7:00pm - 8:30pm Doug Ferony & Comedian Tom Daddario
8:30pm - 9PM - Disc Jockey Italian Music
9:00pm - 10:00pm The SugaRush Band
Sunday. August 15 Noon -8pm
Noon - 1pm - Mass at the Assumption
1:00pm - 2:00pm - Father Higgins (Procession)
( No alcohol served at this time throughout the Procession)
2:00pm - 2:30pm - Disc Jockey - Italian Music
2:30pm -3:15pm Magic Show - SimplyStevenMagic (*)
3:15pm- 4:00pm - New Car Raffle Drawing
4:00pm - 5:00pm - Mary Mancini & Mario Tacca
5:00 PM - 8:00 PM - Disc Jockey Italian Music Open Microphone
8:00 PM - Closing
(*) Street Performers: Saturday and Sunday afternoons between 2PM and 5PM Custom Characters, Stilt Walkers, Balloon Makers, Clowns, Face Painters
Note: Schedule subject to change without notice.
A variety of Italian Food will be available:
Sausage and peppers, zeppolis, fried dough, fried oreos, hamburgers, hot dogs, french fries, fried calamari, meatball hero's, steak and pepper hero's, cold cut hero's, pizza, calzones, dough knots, corn dogs, bar b que corn on the cob, peaches and wine, Italian-Mexican tacos, burritos, Italian- Greek gyros, shish kabob, Italian--Cuban steak heros, Mr. Softee ice cream truck, Italian Ices, gellato, fruit drinks, and Beer Truck, and Deserts, pies and cakes and pastry, cappuccino, pretzels, cotton candy and more.
FESTA ITALIANA Peekskill is proud to present the first, DISTINGUISHED ITALIAN CITIZEN of PEEKSKILL Award to: Mr. Leopoldo Soricelli.
Mr. Soricelli was born on April 29, 1917 in NYC and was christened Leopoldo Joseph. During World War II he worked at the General Motors Defense Plant in Tarrytown assembling airplane parts. He married Viola Zito in 1940 and worked at Posey Motors in Peekskill and helped on the ambulance. He and his brother-in-law Jim Fanzo opened Leo & Jims Auto Body Shop on Washington Street and were in business for over 25 years.
Mr. Soricelli has lived in Peekskill for over 60 years and was very active in the community. He is a member of the Church of the Assumption and has been a member of the Knights of Columbus and the Christopher Columbus Society. He served on the Urban Renewal Agency and on the Zoning Board.
Mr. Soricelli is however best remembered as Peekskills Postmaster. In June 1966 Mr. Soricelli was appointed to that position by President Lyndon Johnson (one of the last to be appointed by a President). He served with dignity in that post for 23 years, and was beloved by all who worked for him and the citizens who he served.
Chamber of Commerce
Paramount Center for the Arts
City website
BID website (business improvement district)
Artist Council
Why an Italian Festival, you say?
I not only say "why not?," I say, "why wasn't this started years ago?" My name is Frank Cimino, and I own the building at 911 South Street which houses Peekskill's newest fine dining establishment, Ciro's on South. As you can probably tell from the name, the restaurant specializes in Italian Food. The folks who own and run Ciro's on South, like myself, are second generation Italian. One night while I was being treated to a tasting of the exquisite offerings at Ciro's, the conversation turned, as most do when it is a group of Italians talking, to "the good old days." A savored memory shared by many Italians is of returning home from church on Sunday mornings to the smell of garlic that has been sautéed in olive oil simmering in tomato sauce wafting through the air. There is probably no other smell that can conjure up fond memories of one's youth like that. The trip down memory lane is always followed by the argument about whose mother made the best sauce or whose made the best meatballs. And whenever Italians, especially those who migrated north from Manhattan or the Bronx, start talking about food, the conversation usually ends up about their ultimate gastronomic experience at "The Feast of San Gennaro." I dare say that everyone with an ounce of Italian blood in their veins who lives within 100 miles of New York City's Little Italy has experienced San Gennaro at least once in their life. And those who haven't experienced San Gennaro have most likely attended one of the many other Italian Festivals held throughout the summer in Westchester, like the one hosted by our neighbors in Verplank.
So, after our trip down memory lane, I was asked if Peekskill has an Italian Festival. I didn't know the answer, but I found out, and much to my chagrin the answer was no, they do not and never did have one. I investigated further to find that almost 20% of Peekskill's population is made up of Italian/Americans, and that was when I decided it was time. I am now proud to say that my vision of hosting a traditional Italian Festival during the Feast of the Assumption, featuring genuine native cuisine and bona fide Italian entertainers is coming to fruition. I look forward to seeing everyone at "Festa Italiana Peekskill," August 13-15, 2010.
Frank Cimino
FESTA ITALIANA PEEKSKILL, 2010
Presented by Downtown Festivals, Inc.
Feast Personnel - July, 2010
DIRECTORS
Frank Cimino, President
Eugene Tumolo, Vice President
Joe Schuder, Vice President
Larry Denoia, Treasurer
ADVISORY STAFF
Father Higgins, Assumption Church
Pat Riley, City coordinator
Leslie Masson, Public Relations
Joe Lippolis, Sponsor sales
Chris Bobolia, Sponsor and Vendor Sales
Ken Chiocchi, Feast design
VOLUNTEERS
John Payne, Events, Accountant
Marina Ciotti, details, details, details
Lisa Palmaffy, Vendor applications
Cosimo Buetti, Events, Vendor selection
Florence Snarr, Vendor selection
Peekskill's "TOMATO SAUCE WARS" have begun!
(Read the Journal News Article about the War)
An age-old question is going to be answered on August 14th at Festa Italiana Peekskill, when a panel of experts will determine "who makes the best tomato sauce?" Some people say that the secret to good tomato sauce is in the tomatoes, while others credit their secret blend of herbs. Some even believe it is more mystical than that. August is when local tomatoes are in season, and it is also when many Italians preserve those delicious ripened tomatoes for the long winter. It should be the perfect scenario for some award winning entries in the inaugural Peekskill "Tomato Sauce Wars." So, if you think your sauce, or the sauce of your parents, your grandparents, a relative or a friend is better than any sauce you've ever tasted, then you, or they, must enter the Peekskill "Tomato Sauce Wars. " It is time to end the argument and crown a winner, so don your aprons and head over to downtown Peekskill (Brown Street between Division and Broad) to the first annual Festa Italiana Peekskill, August 13th through the 15th, where the war will end.
Unlike those make believe Facebook wars, this war is for real, and will come to a dramatic conclusion on center stage, at Festa Italiana Peekskill on August 14th. A jury of top local chefs, some celebrities, and some of Peekskill's well respected, seasoned seniors will determine the victor. The competition is open to everybody and anybody, Italian or not. The top three finalists will receive prizes, but only the winner will receive the beautiful and coveted "Glass Tomato" trophy (a fine art glass sculpture, produced by the artist Bruce Sillars and mounted on a stand, with an engraved plaque to be supplied later).
All you need to enter is a clear glass jar filled with sauce, and labeled with your name, address and phone number. The label must also identify the submission as SAUCE or GRAVY, for that is the other war being waged here. The jars must be dropped off at the Festival office, 937 South Street, Peekskill, NY 10566 by Noon on August 14th. If anyone has a favorite "sauce or gravy" story they would like to share, it can be attached to their entry as well.
And another reason folks should head up to Peekskill during the Wars is because they say a real authentic Italian Street Festival will be breaking out. From August 13th through the 15th, the streets of downtown Peekskill will come alive with the sights, sounds and aromas of Italy as they host their first annual Festa Italiana. Folks will be able to fill their bellies with Italian delicacies and sing and dance to Italian melodies. They can watch as artists with chalk turn the streets into amazing works of art. There will be kiddie rides, stilt walkers, balloon makers, clowns, magicians, carnival games and games of chance. The stage will be jumping with music headlined by Peekskill's own, internationally renowned Italian musicians, Mary Mancini and Mario Tacca, along with another Peekskill son, Doug Ferony and his orchestra. There will be special appearances by The Sugarush Band and the Peekskill Middle School band, with dance exhibitions by Antonia Arts and laughs courtesy of Tom Daddario.
Festa Italiana Peekskill is being produced in conjunction with the Feast of the Assumption and will include the traditional "Assumption of Mary" procession led by Peekskill's Assumption Church clergy and parishioners. The festival is run by the not for profit group, Downtown Festivals, Inc. and proceeds from the weekend will benefit the Assumption Church and Peekskill Youth Bureau as well as other Peekskill Charities. The Paramount Center for the Arts is joining in the festivities and will be showing Italian film classics during the three days of the festival.
Peekskill celebrates its diversity and wants to see the rich ethnic traditions of all its citizens preserved. Event promoters are hoping to be able to collect from Peekskill's Italian elder's their fondest tomato sauce stories, and possibly some recipes, and then share them with festival goers. Festival hours: 8/13 5PM-11PM, 8/14 Noon-11PM, 8/15 Noon-6PM. For additional Festival information and photos go to www.peekskillfestival.com, or call the festival office at (914) 734-4130
