Students across SJC Brooklyn gathered in Tuohy Hall to play bocce ball and stuff their faces with Italian food Thursday afternoon at the annual San Gennaro festival.
Jessica Weiss, a junior and the president of the College’s Paesanos club, the Italian-American organization that hosted the festival, was beaming with pride as she talked about the successful afternoon.
“It was a good event,” Weiss said. “People came, and ate, and had a good time.”
Students swarmed the authentic soda pop table, pumping flavored syrup into a cup, topped with club soda and half-and-half — making Weiss especially proud of the event.
“Some people said they never tried it before,” Weiss said. “That means a lot to me — someone tried something new and they liked it.”
In addition to the Italian soda, the festival served a myriad of Italian food tastings, including eggplant rollatini, rose balls, meatballs, sausage and pepper, pasta and marinara sauce, bread and of course, gelato.
Students also sold cannoli for $1.50 a piece to benefit a fundraiser for SmileTrain, a New York City-based nonprofit that provides corrective surgery for children with cleft lips and palates.
From left: Denay Hayes, Nia Leslie, Regine Jeucly and Alexa Gonzalez
From left: Erika Vellucci, Michele Vicidomini and Noelia Frischeisen
Sugar sticks representing Italy's colors at the San Gennaro feast.
Simran Richardson enjoys authentic Italian soda at the San Gennaro feast.
From left: Marie Ivers, Julianna Hong and Catherine Drago.
From left: Gianna Pizzariella, Jessica Weiss, Nicholas Gangone and Chris Napolitano.
Balloons representing Italian colors lead the way to the feast.
