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The 5th Annual Sorrento Cheese Summer in Little Italy festival will
kick off on Memorial Day Weekend with a free outdoor concert by Frank
Sinatra Jr. and his Orchestra on Memorial Day, Monday May 29, at 3:00
PM, and the Bolla Wines Little Italy Oyster Shucking Competition on
Saturday, May 27, at 2:00 PM. The summer-long festival will continue
every week through the Columbus Day Weekend, October 7 – 9,
2006 in Little Italy, ‘America’s Authentic Italian Neighborhood.’®
The Frank Sinatra Jr. concert will be held on the Sorrento Cheese
Performance Stage in the Mulberry St. Outdoor Parking Lot (under cover)
between Canal and Hester Sts. Frank Jr. and his 20 piece Orchestra
will perform many of the songs included on Frank Jr.’s new CD,
That Face, a tribute to Frank Jr.’s father Ole’ Blue Eyes,
who would have celebrated his 90th birthday this past December 12th.
The CD will be released on the Warner-Reprise label on June 6th. All
seats are unreserved. The concert will take place rain or shine! |
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The Opening Weekend will also feature
the 3rd Annual Bolla Wines Oyster Shucking Competition on Saturday,
May 27, at 2:00 PM. The event, featuring experienced shuckers from
various Little Italy restaurants, will be held outdoors in front of
Sal Anthony’s SPQR Restaurant, 133 Mulberry Street. The first
two competitions were won by shuckers from Umberto’s Clam House
and Original Vincent’s. Spectators will be treated to a free
Oysterfest at the end of the competition! |
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During the Sorrento Cheese Summer in Little
Italy weekends, visitors will be treated to a variety of free activities.
Since music has always played a major role in the lives of Italians
everywhere, a number of musical events have been scheduled in addition
to the Memorial Day concert by Frank Sinatra Jr. There will be various
outdoor operatic performances on a stage at the corner of Mulberry
and Hester Sts, including: the 3rd Annual Mario Lanza Vocal Competition
on Saturday/Sunday, July 29/30, at 2:00 PM featuring ten talented
tenors; the inaugural Annual Soprano Vocal Competition for sopranos
on Saturday/Sunday, August 12/13 at 2:00 PM; and an operatic recital
on Saturday, June 10, at 2:00 PM featuring talented local performers. |
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Sorrento Cheese Summer in Little Italy will conclude on Columbus Day
Weekend with the 4th Annual Little Italy Columbus Day Parade on Mulberry
Street, featuring colorful floats and Italian marching bands, on Saturday,
October 7, at 1:00 PM. |
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The Zoppe Italian Family Circus, one of
the oldest family circuses in the world, founded in 1842, will set
up its tent in the Mulberry St. Outdoor Parking Lot on Labor Day,
September 4, for two performances at 1:00 PM and 3:30 PM. The circus,
featuring Giovanni Zoppe as Nino, the Clown, performed in Little Italy
last summer and was so popular with kids of all ages that they have
been invited to return. The circus features members of the Zoppe family
working with trained dogs and horses, doing spectacular juggling,
balance and gymnastic feats, and Nino, the Clown, entertaining the
audience with his spectacular pratfalls and mime, all to the background
beat of Italian folk music. |
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Sorrento Cheese Summer in Little Italy will again present special
competitions between local restaurants and cafes. In addition to the
3rd Annual Bolla Wines Little Italy Oyster Shucking Competition on
Saturday, May 27, the 4th Annual Little Italy Tuttorosso Pasta Eating
Contest, featuring waiters from ten local restaurants and cafes, will
take place on Saturday, July 1, at 2:00 PM in front of Sal Anthony’s
SPQR Restaurant on Mulberry Street. Fabrizio Rinaldi, a waiter at
Il Cortile, who downed 3 ½ pounds of pasta in eight minutes
last year, will try to win for the third year in a row. This year
will also mark the introduction of the 1st Annual Little Italy Singing
Waiters Competition on Sunday, September 2, at 2:00 PM at Mulberry
and Hester Sts. |
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The Little Italy Merchants Association (LIMA), which represents restaurant,
café and shop owners in Little Italy, has created a Little
Italy Wall of Fame which will be unveiled on Sunday, May 28, at 12
Noon with the induction of its first honoree, Frank Sinatra, Jr. The
Little Italy Wall of Fame, sponsored by LIMA and Sorrento Cheese,
a major supporter of Little Italy, will be temporarily located in
the patio of Most Precious Blood Church at 109 Mulberry Street until
a permanent home is selected. |
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