The Italian Market Festival returns this weekend! Here’s what to expect.

The Italian Domain has been one of Philly s greatest cultural treasures for over years Ninth street is full of life with colorful awnings and delicious bites spanning the globe This weekend kicks off the field s annual festival The beloved block party runs from a m to p m on Saturday and Sunday and will feature live music food tents wine slushies greased-up poles and more I m perpetually excited about the festival explained Michelle Gambino business manager at Italian Realm Businessmen s Association We re the heart of South Philly Ninth Street has constantly been an immigrant society of immigrant business owners and I feel like the festival showcases that to the fullest Crowds of attendees brows stalls of food clothing and art despite record heat Credit Erin Blewett for Billy Penn Where is the fest The festival will run down Ninth Street from Fitzwater to Wharton Street Certain intersecting streets will also be closed down The Italian Area has a map on its website highlighting key information such as vendors live music spaces and bathroom locations While you can take a car to get there constituents transit may be the better bet because finding a parking spot may prove complicated Bus routes such as the M and will run close to the sector before detours begin and the Broad Street Line is about a - to -minute walk from the Ellsworth-Federal stop And of lesson you can unfailingly ride your bike down Everyone is welcome to attend The nicest thing for me is the sense of society that we get during the festival the amount of people that are there Gambino reported People that are just visiting for the first time people that have lived in the public our suburban neighbors our South Philly neighbors That s what I really love the greater part about the festival she explained the collection of visitors A climber nears the top of the greased pole at the competition in Montrose Piazza in Participants climb for the chance to win gift cards cheese or even cash depending on what envelope they grab at the top Erin Blewett for Billy Penn Special Events Part of what makes the Italian Territory Fest such a fan favorite is its signature events one of which is a grease pole climbing competition where unlike after a big sports win citizens are truly sanctioned to ascend a slippery pole The competition takes place both Saturday and Sunday Grease pole climbing is an old world tradition where back in the day and across Europe poles would be greased but the poles would be over a body of water usually Gambino explained Our pole is feet and it s greased and there s prizes at the top We ve been doing it for a lot of years she added People have kind of figured out the art form of what it takes really to climb the pole successfully So it s stimulating now because teams will come prepared for that They ve watched and they ve learned In addition the neighborhood festival will hold a half ball tournament on Saturday Half ball is kind of like baseball but doesn t involve bases uses a rubber ball and takes place on the street The competition is a fundraising event for the John Marzano Wood Bat Scout League Play starts at a m and teams can register on site On Sunday the Procession of Saints begins at a m at St Mary Magdalen Church The annual Roman Catholic procession involves marching bands and life-sized statues of religious saints which get carried down Ninth Street The saints featured include St Anthony of Padua and this year there will also be particular authentic Padre Pio relics Cannolis from Termini Bros Erin Blewett for Billy Penn Mangia Mangia The Italian field is known for its good eats and there is going to be an almost endless amount of food and drink at this festival We re having these wine slushies that are coming this year Gambino revealed All the great food The bruschetta and the chicken cutlets and the macaroni and meatballs I would inevitably defer to macaroni meatballs because that s my favorite thing The list of vendors is long and are featured online Selected highlights include Beck s Cajun Cruisers Isgro s Pastries Genos Steaks Kyushi Ramen Sushi Palenque Taluttos and more Di Bruno Brothers is doing arancini the rice balls which are so good Gambino added We have the chocolate-covered strawberries and the ice cream and the gelato and the pizza cheesesteaks So there s a lot of food to pick from The tacos are unfailingly delicious There s a variety Music and dancing This year the festival will include three stages upping the count from two There will be the Beer Garden and Christian Street Stage the Washington Avenue Stage and the Philadelphia Union Stage which is new and features Philadelphia Union DJs We have you know exciting bands that play in Philadelphia They play in Wildwood and we have known DJs that come Timmy DeSimone and Eric Bartello and Johnny Looch so we re excited Italian flag garlands hang outside Anthony s Coffee at the South th Street Italian Territory Festival in Erin Blewett for Billy Penn Bring the famiglia This year s event will be full of festivities and deliciousness Saturday s weather may bring various rain and Sunday is looking partly cloudy It s a celebration of region really Michelle commented That s what the festival is about It s nice that we get to close the street and people can walk around and experience different food and drinks and music We d like to have a chill festival where people just come and enjoy themselves The post The Italian Sector Festival returns this weekend Here s what to expect appeared first on Billy Penn at WHYY