Pizza tossing among Festa Italiana highlights in North Beach
One of the highlights of Festa Italiana was a pizza tossing demonstration by 13-time world champion Tony Gemignani of Tony’s Pizza Napoletana. He showed off his skills with KTVUs Betty Yu – spinning dough through the air and explaining the technique behind the perfect crust. He was even joined by his young son Gino, a rising pizza pro in the making.
SAN FRANCISCO – North Beach was alive with music, dancing, and the aroma of Italian cuisine this weekend as the city’s only Italian street fair, Festa Italiana, returned for its annual two-day celebration.
Hosted by the San Francisco Italian Athletic Club Foundation and run entirely by volunteers, the free festival drew locals and visitors alike to honor the neighborhood’s deep Italian-American roots.
Celebrating heritage, one slice at a time
People were treated to live music, Aperol spritzes, and classic Italian dishes.
“We have live music all day long. We have our own food featuring Lettieri and Company’s Italian beef sandwiches, Italian sausage and peppers, the calamari fritti, the arancini. I’m getting hungry just thinking about this right now,” said Nick Figone, COO of the SF Italian Athletic Club Foundation.
For those looking to balance indulgence with activity, the 104th annual Statuto Race, kicks off Sunday morning.
One of the most popular attractions of the weekend was a pizza-tossing demonstration by 13-time World Champion Tony Gemignani, owner of Tony’s Pizza Napoletana in North Beach.
“Some people say ‘why do you toss a pizza?’ one is you get to the size that you want, two as you actually toss it, it gets thicker in the ends and thinner in the middle, and three, you’re actually drying out the top of the crust, making it crunchy on the outside but very light inside,” Gemignani explained.
His young son, Giovanni, joined him on stage.
“I get to work with my dad and he gets to watch me grow up and I hope I toss like him when I’m older,” Giovanni said.
What they’re saying:
People strolling down Stockton Street said the event was a cherished opportunity to connect with community and heritage.
“I mean getting out here with all the Italian Americans is always a lot of fun. I have family members who are Italian American too, so it’s always a good time to come out and celebrate your heritage,” said Kevin Meilinger of San Carlos.
“We reserved today to get all the wine in, so we’re ready to see the bar setups and then we’re going to have lunch at Original Joe’s in a bit, and then after, we’ll walk around,” his wife Tara Meilinger said.
Festa Italiana continues Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., with the Statuto Race beginning at 9 a.m.
The Source: Original KTVU reporting
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