L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2018 www.italoamericano.org 24 L'Italo-Americano S ummer in Italy, partic- ularly the month of A ugus t, has been a centuries-old time for celebration, dating to the time of Roman Emperor Augustus, in 18 BC. It was then that Augustus introduced Feriae Augus ti, the fes tivals of the Emperor Augustus, a time to rest and celebrate the passing of a successful harvest season. In recent times, the Italian name for a more modern version of this holiday is Ferragosto, celebrated on August 15, the time when many Italians take their summer vacations, gleefully heading towards beaches and resorts. Ferragosto, coincides with the Catholic feast of the A s s umption of the Bles s ed Mother Mary. The now popular tradition of vacationing during Ferragosto was introduced in the late 1920s during which time the Fascist regime encouraged less affluent people to enjoy the sum- mer by offering incentives to visit Italian cities, or spend time at seaside and mountain resorts. Back in San Francisco, it was the year 2008 w hen the S an Francisco Italian Athletic Club (SFIAC), initiated an Italian- themed block party called Festa di Ferragosto. Yes, leave it to Bay Area Italians to create a quintessentially authentic event that seamlessly incorporates tra- dition, history, and culture into one enjoyable day of allegria; fun, food and entertainment, an annual event that has its roots deep in Italy's history. 2018 marked the 10th annual Festa Coloniale Italiana which took place on Saturday, Septem- CATHERINE ACCARDI centennial anniversary of this historic Club, one that traces its roots back to 1917 and has been located in North Beach since 1936. The SFIAC describes itself as, "The heartbeat of the Italian community in San Francisco," catering weddings, parties, and c u l t u r a l , c o m m u n i t y - b a s e d events to Italians (and non-Ital- ians) for generations. Each year, the SFIAC hosts one of Ameri- ca's oldest foot races, the Statu- to Race, Italian Heritage Day celebrations, festivals, bocce tournaments, picnic, and region- al dinners. Dianrico Pierucci, former SFIAC President and current board member, inspired atten- dees at the 2017 CIAO (Coali- tion of Italian American Organi- zations) meeting by saying, "We are all here together to strength- en and unify the Italian commu- nity. We are going to unite and do good things for the Italian community for years to come. The SFIAC has a remarkable history of over 100 years but needs to look to the future and plan for the next 10 years. The City is changing and if we as Italians and Italian organiza- tions don't adapt, we will not be here for the next 100 years. We need to embrace change." No doubt the SFIAC and the Festa Coloniale Italiana will continue to be important San Francisco traditions for years to come. ber 15, in the heart of North Beach, right in front of the SFIAC building at 1630 Stock- ton Street, perfectly situated adjacent to Washington Square Park. The Festa is a free, family e v e n t t h a t s h o w c a s e s t h e SFIAC's facilities, heritage, m e m b e r s a n d c o m m u n i t y resources. Exhibitor presenta- tions and sales range from Ital- ian arts and crafts to specialty foods. Performances by Bay Area Italian musical artists and d a n c e r s a r e f e a t u r e d o n t h e Festa stage. Highlights included Italian food, live performers, vendors with specialty Italian gifts and wine tasting. As if to encourage the festiv- ities, San Francisco's fog and chilly breezes took the day off so hundreds of attendees could enjoy a bright, sunny, and lively a t m o s p h e r e a l o n g S t o c k t o n S t r e e t , c l o s e d t o t r a f f i c a n d filled with the colorful sights and sounds of a traditional Ital- ian street festival. Music and songs have tradi- tionally been a key component of the Festa and 2018's event presented the Tom Torriglia Band, Steve Albini and Il Sole, M o r e n o F r u z z e t t i , a n d o f course, the perennial favorite 12-time world champion and restauranteur, Tony Gemignani of Tony's Pizza Napoletana, and his crowd favorite, the pizza toss. In addition to the day-long event, this year's celebrations included a special evening con- cert in the park titled La Musica d'Italia in Washington Square Park celebrating 100 years of Italian music and song. The concert also commemorated the 100th anniversary of the SFIAC. The concert featured the talents o f D a n i e l R o d r i g u e z , T h e S i n g i n g P o l i c e m a n , M a r i a Kavanaugh, Maria Infantino, and Chris Macchio. As San Francisco's only all Italian festival, September's Festa Coloniale Italiana heralds the upcoming month of October and the numerous celebrations around Italian Heritage Month. These not to be missed celebra- tions of Viva Italia include: ■ Madonna Del Lume Mass, Blessing of the Fleet & Parade - September 29 & 30 ■ Grand Ball & Banquet - Sat- urday, October 6 ■ High Mass & Italian Her- itage Parade - Sunday, October 7 ■ Post Parade Dinner - Sun- day, October 7 For more information about these events and October's Ital- ian Heritage Month, go to the Italian Heritage Parade website at https://sfitalianheritage.org. But, this year, not only did the SFIAC successfully present the 10th annual Festa, they are also celebrating the mile-stone The Court of Queen Isabella walks through the streets of North Beach SAN FRANCISCO ITALIAN COMMUNITY Two San Francisco Traditions-The San Francisco Italian Athletic Club & Festa Coloniale Italiana Festa Coloniale Italiana in front of the SFIAC

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