SICILY COMES TO THE STREETS
OF SAN DIEGO 'S LITTLE ITALY

15th annual Festa Siciliana salutes the culture, heritage of San Diego immigrants

The music, dance, culture and cuisine of Sicily come to the streets of San Diego 's Little Italy on Sunday, May 18, 2008 , 10 am-6 pm , as part of the 15th Annual FESTA SICILIANA celebration on India Street .

The highly popular FREE family event features authentic Sicilian food and entertainment, surrounded by the colorful ambiance of the Little Italy neighborhood of San Diego 's downtown.

Four stages will feature a wide variety of Sicilian and Italian entertainment. At noon , a parade of dozens of costumed dancers, musicians, and representatives of the Italian Clubs in San Diego will waltz through the streets carrying flags from the different regions of Sicily and Italy .

The young, exciting Sicilian-American tenor Aaron Caruso ,direct from NYC, will headline this year's Festa. Aaron has performed in many operas, concerts and festivals in the US and abroad. His voice is compared to that of the young Mario Lanza. In fact, Aaron was recently selected to sing the role of Mario Lanza on Broadway with the help of actor Danny Aiello, who heard Aaron sing and arranged the meeting with producer Sonny Grosso.

Not only will Aaron be singing the music of Mario Lanza, but the son of Mario Lanza, Damon Lanza , will be present at the festival to speak about his father and his tremendous impact on the world's entertainment scene during his career. Damon will be present at the Lanza Legend booth, located adjacent to the Sicilian Cultural Center at Beech and India Streets, from 12 noon-5 pm.

New this year is a recreation of a Sicilian Village , organized by the San Diego Convivio Society for the Humanities, displaying such well-worn traditions as wine-making, fishnet repair, embroidery, puppet shows, produce and fish markets, and more. As part of this Sicilian Village experience, Martellotto Wines will serve a variety of boutique Sicilian wines at The Sicilian Wine Grotto , with wine tasting tickets available at $10, individual wine servings at $5.

Food booths will line the streets to satisfy the hungry crowds by serving up Sicilian specialties of all varieties. Festa visitors will also be able to relax at a wine and beer garden, or shop among the many booths offering Italian-themed artifacts and services.

People will be literally dancing in the streets, and no wonder. The event features the nationally acclaimed Roman Holiday Ensemble whose repertoire includes a wide variety of Italian and Sicilian music as well as swinging Sinatra and Louie Prima shows. A wide variety of vocalists, many directly from Sicily, will entertain the crowds with everything from Sicilian Swing to Sicilian Jazz, as well as with Sicilian and Italian traditional and folkloristic melodies.

In addition to the Sicilian Village, the area will also house a Sicilian cultural tent that will feature photo displays reflecting the Sicilian American heritage in San Diego, as well as other cultural displays by local authors and artisans, organized by the ConVivio Society of San Diego. There will also be plenty of rides, a Sicilian puppet theatre, and children's games to make sure that the bambini don't get bored.

Make sure you stop by the JetBlue exhibit and take your chances on winning a trip for two anywhere JetBlue flies!

The Little Italy neighborhood of downtown San Diego has become one of the most desirable urban communities in the nation. With a perfect mix of Old World charm and an avant-guarde chic, it appeals to people of all ages.

FREE PARKING AND SHUTTLE are available. Park in the NORTH lot of the County Administration Building and look for the double-decker bus that will take you to the Festa.

For more information, log onto the Sicilian Festival website at www.sicilianfesta.com .

Contact: Giovanna DiBona
Phone: 619.993.9550
sicilianfesta@cox.net

For more information on San Diego's Little Italy, log onto the website at www.littleitalysd.com .