The sights, sounds and flavors of Italy will once again fill Long Beach Road when Sacred Heart Church hosts its 56th annual San Gennaro Feast from Sept. 10-13 in Island Park.
The four-day celebration, held adjacent to the church at 282 Long Beach Road, has become a cherished Island Park tradition, drawing between 5,000 and 10,000 visitors each year. Admission is free.
The feast will begin Sept. 10 with a special Mass at 6 p.m., followed by a traditional outdoor procession at 7 p.m. featuring the statue of San Gennaro, the parish’s patron saint.
The feast will continue Friday from 5 to 11 p.m., Saturday from 3 to 11 p.m. and Sunday from 1:30 to 9 p.m.
Visitors can enjoy a variety of Italian specialties prepared by Sacred Heart parishioners and volunteers, including sausage and peppers, eggplant, meatballs, pasta, pizza and zeppole. Pastries and gelato also will be available.
The celebration also will feature amusement rides, games of skill and chance and a White Elephant tent, providing activities for families and visitors of all ages.
For longtime parishioner and Island Park resident J.J. Byrne, the feast represents far more than four days of food and entertainment.
Byrne said the event requires weeks of preparation and days of cleanup, with parishioners volunteering their time to set up, operate booths and break everything down after the final night.
“People tend to have this false notion that most of the help is needed and done during the four days of the feast,” Byrne said. “Weeks beforehand and days after, there are many volunteers sweating, working very, very hard to set it up.”
Byrne described the feast as an “unofficial homecoming” for Island Park residents, bringing together longtime residents, former residents, parishioners and families.
“Everyone in Island Park comes out,” he said. “Everyone.”
The feast also has a deeper spiritual significance. San Gennaro, the patron saint of Naples, Italy, was a third-century bishop who was martyred for his faith. His legacy remains at the center of the annual celebration.
“For many of us, it’s about honoring San Gennaro,” Byrne said. “We believe that he watches over and protects our parish.”
Island Park Mayor Michael McGinty said the tradition holds special meaning for him and his family. He recalled attending the early feasts as a child and working alongside his parents.
“I can still remember being a young kid, working alongside my parents during those early feasts here in Island Park,” McGinty said. “Those days are filled with some of my fondest memories — the food, the laughter, the familiar faces and, most of all, the incredible sense of community.”
McGinty said the feast has become a piece of Island Park’s history and a tradition that connects generations.
Under the leadership of Sacred Heart Pastor Msgr. John Tutone, McGinty said, the parish and community continue to work together to preserve the celebration.
“The 56th Annual San Gennaro Feast is more than just a celebration — it’s a piece of Island Park’s history and a tradition that connects generations,” McGinty said.
The feast is also one of Sacred Heart’s major fundraisers, helping support the parish while providing an annual opportunity for the community to gather.
As another four-day celebration approaches, organizers are inviting residents and visitors to come and enjoy the food, rides, games and fellowship that have made the San Gennaro Feast an enduring Island Park tradition.
“When we all pitch in and do our part, there’s nothing we can’t accomplish,” McGinty said. “It’s that spirit of teamwork and community that has kept this wonderful tradition alive for 56 years.”
