9th Annual Blauvelt Sons of Italy Italian Feast & Carnival to Take Place in Tappan, September 13-16, 2018; Four Day Festival offers something for every Member of the Family

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Italian-American Joe Causi to receive Lifetime Career Award

The Rockland Lodge 2176 of the Sons of Italy will host the 9^th Annual Blauvelt Sons of Italy Italian Feast and Carnival at Tappan Masonic Park Fair Grounds September 13-16. The popular event draws thousands of people from around the tri-state area for the spectacular four-day celebration of all things Italian, and has been recognized as the biggest event in Rockland County. Parking is free, and admission is $5 for adults and free for kids under 12. More information can be found at www.blauveltsonsofitaly.org .

“The Sons of Italy Rockland Lodge 2176 Italian Feast has become one of the most anticipated events in the tri-state area. Our Lodge brothers and volunteers spend hundreds of hours before and during the feast to ensure that everyone has a great time whether they’re on the rides, shopping, eating or enjoying the amazing entertainment line-up every year,” stated Mike Guzzino, president of the Rockland Lodge 2176. “We encourage everyone to come out this year and enjoy our little slice of Italy!”

Here are some of the events over the four-day event you can expect:

WORLD RECORD
This year’s feast will attempt to break a world record for the most people eating pasta at one time. The event will take place on September 16 in the afternoon. More information will be available on the Lodge website.

HONOREE
On Sunday, September 16, the Lodge will present Italian-American Joe Causi with the Lifetime Career award. Causi is one of New York’s legendary disc jockeys and recognized as the most listened to radio personality in the United States in the 80s. He has been Grand Marshall of the Christopher Columbus parade and Grand Marshall of the Feast of San Gennaro in Little Italy.

FOOD
The feast features an amazing array of Italian food, main dishes such as sausage and peppers, brick-oven pizza made right on site, a huge variety of pasta dishes and seafood specialties, a section devoted entirely to barbecue favorites, plus delicious Italian desserts and pastries including zeppoles, cannolis and sfogliatella, Italian ices and ice cream. There will also be typical carnival fare such as kettle corn, cotton candy, chicken and lamb kabobs and more. Beer and wine are available each day.

RIDES AND GAMES
The Italian Feast offers a separate area with rides and carnival games for all ages. From carousels, teacups and dinosaur rides for the little ones, to an enormous Ferris wheel, gravity-defying pirate ship, and dizzying octopus whip and the challenge of a mechanical bull for teens and adults, there’s a thrill ride for every member of the family. Carnival games include fishing and ring toss-type games for the youngsters, to more challenging games of skill for older attendees. Carnival bracelets, which offer a discount, are available at the gate each day.

For adults over 21, the Italian Feast features a casino with tables for black jack and poker as well as wheels of chance. Located inside the pavilion, the casino comes alive each night.

SHOPPING
More than 50 vendors are on site each year at the feast selling items such as jewelry, home goods, hand-made artwork, and clothing including Italian culture-themed items such “gravy or sauce” T-shirts and sweatshirts, hats and more, featuring the Italian flag and outline of Italy. Every year the event features hand-rolled cigars made right on site while you wait.

NATIONAL AND LOCAL ENTERTAINMENT
The four-day festival is a showcase of live entertainment. The schedule changes right up until the week of the feast, and updates can be found on the Sons of Italy website at www.blauveltsonsofitaly.org.

Rockland-based actor and longtime member of the Rockland Lodge 2176, Paul Borghese, will once again act as emcee for the entertainment portion of the feast. Borghese, who portrayed Italian-American baseball icon Yogi Berra in the HBO movie 61*, was also a co-producer and narrator for the PBS special Beyond Wiseguys, a documentary Produced by John Turturro, about Italian Americans and the movies.

Entertainers this year will include the following, and a complete line-up will be posted to the Blauvelt Sons of Italy Lodge website:

• The World famous ALFIO
• Anna Veleva (Italian Opera)
• Anthony Tolve (Italian Tenor)
• Lauren Mascitti (Country Music Star)
• Freddie Lando (Andrea Bocelli Tribute)
• Steven Maglio sings Sinatra
• Louis Vanaria

HOURS, TICKETS AND LODGING

The Rockland Lodge 2176 of the Sons of Italy 9^th Annual Blauvelt Sons of Italy Italian Feast and Carnival will take place at Tappan Masonic Park Fair Grounds from September 13 through September 16. Hours for the festival are Thursday 5-11 p.m.; Friday, 5 p.m.–midnight; Saturday, Noon–midnight; and Sunday will begin with an outdoor mass at 10:30 a.m., and then the festival will be open from noon until 9 p.m. The festival takes place at Masonic Park located at 89 Western Highway in Tappan. Updated information can be found on the Sons of Italy website at www.blauveltsonsofitaly.org.

The Holiday Inn in Orangeburg is the official lodging sponsor again this year and offers special discounted rates to feast attendees. Call 845-359-7000 and mention the Blauvelt Sons of Italy Italian Feast for more information.

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