Who doesn’t love pasta? But is Italian food only about pasta? If you are a food connoisseur who thrives on Italian food, get a taste of authentic Sicilian food and a great experience of the vibrant Sicilian culture at the forthcoming 18th Annual Sicilian Festival in San Diego on May 22, 2011, from 10 am till 6 pm. A famous free, family event, the Sicilian Festival celebrates all things Sicilian, including cuisine, pasta eating content, a grape stomp, ethnic music in three stages, a beer garden and a costumed parade. And if you are looking for a dekho into how the authentic Italian dishes are cooked, don’t miss the cooking demonstrations by Emmy Award winning Giada De Laurentiis. Giada, an Italian cooking sensation, who has become a celebrity chef on the Food Network, the â€Today†show, and venues all over the world, will offer these demonstrations at an outdoor mobile kitchen on Date Street Stage at 2:30 p.m, followed by a book signing in the Bella Sera Wine Pavilion. The Sicilian Festival is all set to rock the colorful ambiance of San Diego’s Little Italy neighborhood, located within walking distance of the beautiful San Diego Harbor and within minutes of San Diego's vibrant downtown district. If you are visiting San Diego around this time, don’t forget to book your rooms in a San Diego hotel located close to downtown San Diego. Go for a hotel in San Diego which is in the heart of the city so that you can get the best and easiest access to Little Italy as well as other attractions of the city and its glorious beaches. The Sicilian Festival, known for its celebration of the art, history, and heritage of the Sicilian American Families of Little Italy, owes its origins to the 1990s when Mario, a native of Portocello, Sicily, emigrated to the United States and opened the Soluntos Bakery in Little Italy in San Diego. The bakery became popular as it met a need for authentic Sicilian cuisine in this area. Mario’s establishment continues to be one of the longest-running establishments on India Street in the heart of Little Italy. Apart from serving delectable Sicilian food, Mario also nurtured a dream of uniting the Sicilian community spirit of the generations of Sicilian Americans residing in this area. Other established institutions such as the Our Lady of the Rosary Church and Sicilian food shops chipped in to keep the old world traditions alive. Step by step the Little Italy Association went about transforming the disparate community from urban blight to the thriving, colorful, urban-chic neighborhood where Italian and Sicilian immigrants came to reunite with their cultural and ethnic heritage. The Sicilian festival kicked off in 1993 with a small musical get together, Sicilian food and a few vendors. It has since grown in size and scale to become a celebration of the food, music, art, and tradition brought to San Diego by Sicilian immigrants. This year the fiesta is set to unveil four stages that will feature a wide variety of Sicilian and Italian entertainment. Judy Ciotti & Pianist John Cain will kick off the Festival with an exciting line up of tunes from the Italian American repertoire. Food booths will line the streets with authentic Sicilian cuisine. An entourage of beautifully costumed Paesani, dancers, musicians, and representatives of the Italian organizations in San Diego, will raise the Sicilian and other flags of Italy in an exquisite flag procession through the streets of San Diego's Little Italy neighborhood. The nationally-acclaimed Roman Holiday Ensemble will perform their high-energy, audience interactive shows and the Italian Dance Troupe of Balboa Park will perform a variety of lively Italian and Sicilian dances to delight the crowds. There is more entertainment, fun and cultural fiesta in store as the four stages light up with enthralling performances. Besides, for movie buffs, there is a gala of great Italian cinema and food in store. The Sicilian Festival is partnering with the San Diego Italian Film Festival which is celebrating 'Italy at 150 Years' with a series of films that explores the themes of unification, migration, patriotism and regionalism. The Sicilian Festival is one of the best opportunities you can find this side of the globe to get a close experience of the rich and vibrant Italian and Sicilian culture. A rush of tourists is expected this year to enjoy the festival. You can book your rooms now in an affordable and comfortable San Diego hotel to enjoy this festival in all its color. If you book well in advance, you can get some great discounts that hotels in San Diego offer around this time.
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