18th Avenue Feast: The foods and flavors
BENSONHURST — The annual Feast of Santa Rosalia — known by locals as the 18th Avenue Feast — is a celebration to honor the patron saint of Palermo, Sicily, with entertainment, music, rides carnival games and most importantly: food.
Each year a stretch of 18th Avenue, aka Cristoforo Colombo Boulevard, from 67th to 75th streets transforms and becomes a buffet of Italian street food. The feast kicked off last night, and lasts through Sept. 1.
It’s not hard to find a good sausage-and-peppers sandwich, so we recommend starting with that. The sausage is incredibly rich and juicy and when combined with the flavor of the peppers that create an encapsulating aroma around the sandwich, it’s no surprise this fare is one of the most popular at the feast.