Pretty much all Fordham students can agree the proximity to Arthur Ave is one of the best parts of Fordham's Bronx campus. Arthur Ave and the surrounding streets in the Belmont neighborhood are packed with Italian restaurants, delis, pizzerias, and bakeries. The local merchants in the Belmont Business Improvement District gather together to hold the annual street fair every September. The festival is called Ferragosto to follow the Italian tradition of celebrating the end of the harvest.
The Details
Ferragosto usually falls on the second Sunday in September, so it will be on September 9 from 12-6pm this year. The afternoon centers on Italian culture, with a slew of musical performances and food vendors to entertain and feed an estimated crowd of 20,000 people. According to the people behind @BronxLittleItaly's Instagram account, "the local merchants start setting up bright and early to get ready for the big event. They make sure all their ingredients are ready so they can feed the thousands of people who come to the intersection of all things Italian at Arthur Avenue and East 187th Street."
The Food
Of course, this is Spoon, so we care most about the amazing food. "Get ready for the amazing aromas and tastes of sausage and peppers, zeppole, and so much more. The day is filled with great culture, entertainment and of course food," @BronxLittleItaly shared. Eating food outside while listening to music is one of my favorite activities, so it should be a perfect way to end one of the last warm weekends of the year.
The restaurant stands sell many Italian favorites, from sausage and peppers or meatballs on a hero, to pasta and pizza, to scoops of gelato. From past years of visiting the festival, I recommend seeking out the stands selling freshly deep-fried arancini, which are breaded rice balls usually filled with mozzarella and meat sauce. You can't leave any Italian festival without grabbing a bag of hot zeppole, the addictive powdered sugar-covered doughnuts.
Mark Your Calendars!
To recap, Ferragosto is next Sunday, September 9 from 12-6pm. Don't forget to follow @BronxLittleItaly on Instagram to keep up with the amazing food of the area and keep an eye out for Spoon's live Stories on the day!