Hofstra University celebrated “Italy’s culture and culinary influence on America” by hosting its 27th Annual Italian Festival on the south campus on Sunday, Sept. 15.
The Italian Experience Festival, emceed by host of “Sabato Italiano” on WRHU-FM and President of the Association of Italian American Educators Cavaliere, Josephine Maietta, is a popular tradition that features an itinerary full of crafts, live entertainment, children’s activities and food.
“It is kind of rare to find an event like this [on Long Island], and the fact that Hofstra hosts [an Italian Festival] is awesome,” said junior bioengineering major Francesca Filiberti, the president of the Hofstra Cultural Italian-American Organization (CIAO). “I am really happy that [CIAO] gets to be part of it and that we get to meet other Italians, or people who are just interested in the culture.”
CIAO contributed to the festival by running a bocce game and pumpkin painting stand.
Not only is the Italian Festival a lighthearted event, but it allows nonprofit community groups on Long Island to spread information about Italians and Italian Americans and draw membership to their organizations.
“[The Italian Festival] allows us to portray a positive image of ourselves as Italian Americans,” said Eleanor Jobbagy, co-chair for the Commission of Social Justice for the Order of Sons and Daughters of Italy in America (OSIA), a sponsor of Hofstra’s Italian Festival and the liaison between OSIA and Hofstra. “People often don’t portray us in such a positive light, so this event allows us to show them the good works that we do.”
OSIA is a national organization with over 60 lodges throughout New York state from Long Island to Buffalo, with over 8,500 members in the state alone. OSIA is dedicated to promoting Italian culture, traditions, language, the legacy of their Italian ancestors and their contributions to the U.S. and the world. It is also a charitable organization.
“We support Alzheimer’s and autism,” said Jobbagy. “We also have a gift of sight program where we donate guide dogs to wounded veterans.”
Peggy Petrosino and Carol Grassi, both members of different lodges within OSIA, are first-time Italian Festival goers at Hofstra.
Grassi said the festival is a perfect size with a little bit of everything, “a little bit of the zeppoles, a little bit of the shopping.”
From the simplicity of the parking situation to the quality of the entertainment, Petrosino and Grassi said the Italian Festival was just enough to “entertain you on a Sunday afternoon.”
Petrosino and Grassi arrived at the festival when Italian musical artist Vanessa Racci was taking the stage. “You can hear the music from anywhere,” Grassi said. “It is nice because it was a little warm under the tent, especially on a beautiful day like today, and you can just walk around and hear the music without actually having to sit there.”
Petrosino and Grassi are both eager to return next year, with Grassi saying, “It is even better than a street fair.”
Dave Gray • May 13, 2020 at 12:49 pm
Amazing my Friend! I am so looking forward to watching your journey unfold in front of you! Congratulations!
E.V • May 12, 2020 at 7:57 pm
Beautiful tribute. Hope you get to go back to Student Center 203 when things are safe, no doubt those walls will whisper back "Thanks". Best of luck and Congratulations!
Alan gass • May 12, 2020 at 5:37 pm
Wow