West Seattle family behind area’s 1st San Gennaro Festival this weekend

One of this weekend’s biggest events in Seattle is a new event – the San Gennaro Festival. It’s happening in Georgetown – but the family behind it is from West Seattle, and wants to make sure you know you’re welcome! Angela Mascio contacted WSB to share that news, explaining:

We started a non-profit foundation called the San Gennaro Foundation of Seattle, which is planning the first annual San Gennaro Festival of Seattle to be held in Georgetown Sept 7th and 8th. It’s going to be a great festival with authentic Italian food, music, and wine :) There will be a kids’ area with different activities throughout the day. We chose the Puget Sound Blood Center to receive any proceeds from this first festival, and we’re also having a blood drive to celebrate the blood miracle of Saint Gennaro.

This festival began in New York as a way for immigrants to celebrate their culture. Today, that festival is about two weeks long and they close down all of Little Italy in New York. Many other major US cities have followed suite and have San Gennaro festivals, so we decided it was about time for one in Seattle.

10 am-10 pm Saturday and 10 am-6 pm Sunday, South Angelo Street in Georgetown will be closed for the festival. It’s where her family first started their businesses, and they still own a building there, Angela explained:

About 50ish years ago, my grandparents and my father and two of his sisters came over from Italy. My grandmother missed the fresh pasta from her father’s pasta company back in Italy, so she started making it in her basement. It grew into a business and their first location was on South Angelo Street in Georgetown. Mascio’s Pasta grew and my dad took it over eventually. It grew more, he sold his shares, and started his own company, again in Georgetown first (San Gennaro Foods, we manufacture Polenta). We’re currently in Kent.

Angela shared this link to her grandfather’s obituary from 1990. She also says her aunt has a business in Georgetown and revived the “Mascio’s Italian Specialty Foods” name. But enough about history – back to the festival. Here’s the entertainment schedule; here’s a map to the location.

karlyross September 6, 2013 (1:06 am)

This is fabulous!! I’ve been to the San Genarro Festival in NYC a couple of times and it is quite an experience. Little Italy closed to cars, all the lights at night, the banners and lanterns draped over the streets, music, food…..

Thanks for letting us know, WSB!!

JanS September 6, 2013 (1:13 am)

very cool !

Estes September 6, 2013 (6:45 am)

Awesome! Hopefully they’re importing chicken picatta and canolis from NY! It’s a real scene there, never missed a year- hope the one here is fun for everyone!

Christopher Boffoli September 6, 2013 (6:52 am)

Hmm. I wonder if they’ll have Zeppole.

Bulldog Dad September 6, 2013 (9:18 am)

@ Chis… lets hope so! but not the ones with sardines in them.

cakeitseasy September 6, 2013 (10:01 am)

Two words: Sausage and Peppers. Any chance?

Angela September 6, 2013 (10:10 am)

Thanks blog for the awesome plug for the event!!!

We’re hoping to have the same feel as the one in New York. Professional lights, decorations, Italian Flags, the works!!

And Chris, there was a last minute food booth that will have Zeppole!

We hope to see everyone there. For directions, just google or Bing South Angelo Street. That is the only section of that street in the whole city so it comes up with exactly the street the festival is on.

The entertainment schedule was being revised but is back on our web site now.

Thank you for your support West Seattle and we hope to see everyone there!!!!

Angela September 6, 2013 (11:15 am)

Sausage and Peppers – Yes and Yes!

Silly Goose September 6, 2013 (12:28 pm)

This is wonderful we were just talking about our love of this celebration in New York and how we miss it!! We will be there so excited!!

flimflam September 6, 2013 (2:05 pm)

the smell of the festival in Little Italy, NYC is with me to this day though its been over 20 years since I was there. as others have said – sausage and peppers, oh the heavenly aroma!

Rachel September 6, 2013 (2:35 pm)

Congrats Angela! Great work!

Sally September 6, 2013 (2:54 pm)

Sausage and peppers, just like when I was a kid in upstate NY. But it was usually at St. Anthony’s Church with a carnival and rides.

Anna September 7, 2013 (12:27 pm)

I just left the festival. I loved it! The history booth was wonderful. Great entertainment & food. Thanks for letting us know about it.

Patricia Agostino September 7, 2013 (4:13 pm)

I’m helping staff the San Gennaro Foundation booth and I’m pleased (but not surprised) to say that the first San Gennaro Festa (Festival)in Seattle is turning out to be a rousing success! Kudos to Jerry Mascio of San Gennaro Foods and all the other participants. There is a great variety of delicious traditional Italian foods including Gelato & desserts (too numerous to list here. The Festa continues until 10 p.m. tonight and tomorrow (Sunday) from 10 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Please join us – I guarantee you’ll have a great time.

Patricia

WSB September 7, 2013 (4:18 pm)

Thanks for the update, Patricia. We stopped by earlier for a few photos that I hope to have up shortly – it’s a busy day and we had to rush out sooner than we wanted to because of breaking news. – TR