Good food, feelings and fun are on call for The Sons of Italy Cellini Lodge No. 2206 Italian Festival from Aug. 26-30 at Michael J. Tully Park in New Hyde Park. For the lodge, the festival showcases Italian heritage and culture, while attracting that brings more than 25,000 people together for a week of fun.
“We have many booths dedicated to our Italian culture and heritage,”Lodge First-Vice President Juliette Milazzo said. “We tell the people what we’re doing.”
The festival will boast 15-17 rides and multiple food vendors with popular Italian/international cuisine, including the usual festival sausage and peppers, burgers, hot dogs and pizza. Full park access had been tempered for recent festivals, but in 2015 the lodge festival will fill Tully Park. It previously operated out of Clinton G. Martin Park.
“We’re hoping to have more rides this year,” Milazzo said. “We have the whole park this year instead of part of the park.”
The fair will host multiple musical acts each of the five days. Wednesday night will feature Head Over Heels, a 1950s-80s wedding-style band and Thursday will showcase The Bel ’Airs, an oldies band. Friday night will see Risky Business, who plays everything from The Beatles, Paul Anka and Tony Bennett to Chuck Berry and Chicago while Saturday awaits for Don Felice, an Italian band.
Castelli Nation and Como Brothers will round out the music for the festival on Sunday.
“The music livens up the place no matter what,” said entertainment/gaming coordinator and lodge past president Tony Milazzo, Juliette’s husband. “The entertainment is a draw. It brings people in who may not usually come to the fair. Risky Business will definitely pack the place, along with the other bands.”
The festival runs at Michael J. Tully Park at 1801 Evergreen Ave. on Wednesday, Aug. 26, Thursday, Aug. 27 and Friday, Aug. 28 6 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 29, 3 to 11 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 30 3 to 10 p.m. The Sunday date is free admission from 3 to 5 p.m. A fireworks display is planned for Aug. 29 with a rain date of Aug. 30.
Admission is $1 and children under 8 are free. Festival proceeds are donated to multiple charities, namely the Cooley’s Anemia Foundation, Ronald McDonald House of Long Island, Gift of Sight, which gets service dogs for military veterans and the lodge gives scholarships to seven local high school students.
“I think [the festival] spreads good will,” Juliette said. “You meet people and it’s quite enjoyable. I hope it shows what Italians are really about. Good food, feelings and music.”
