The Feast of San Gennaro to Host Cannoli Eating Contest Next Friday

Good news! After an absence of one year, the 90th Annual Feast of San Gennaro has announced it will present its popular Cannoli Eating Contest this year, but this time it won't be for professional eaters, as in the past. Instead it will feature cannoli lovers like YOU, men and women who can register for the event in advance!

The competition has been scheduled for Friday, September 16, at 2 PM on the Feast Performance Stage located at the corner of Grand and Mott Streets. Interested contestants must register by telephone at 212-764-6300. Call Mondays through Fridays between the hours of 11 AM and 5 PM.

The contest will be emceed by Z100 Radio Personality Skeery Jones and Mort Berkowitz, President of Mort and Ray Productions. The cannoli will be prepared under the personal care of Ferrara Executive Chef and co-owner Ernest Lepore. Water for the contestants will be provided by Coca-Cola, one of this year's lead sponsors.

The competition will last eight minutes and the man or woman who devours the most regular-sized cannoli during that time span will be declared this year's Cannoli Eating Champion. The Top Two Finishers will receive cash prizes: $ 250 for the winner and $100 for the first Runner-up.

Just prior to the start of the competition, the cannoli for the competition will be paraded to the stage from Ferrara Café and Bakery, located on the same block as the stage, by a group of wait-staffers from Ferrara. The contestants, limited to ten (or 12) will be standing behind long tables on stage and will watch as trays filled with ten cannoli each are placed in front of each one under the watchful eyes of Ernest Lepore. The cannoli will be replaced on the platters by two Ferrara employees on the stage to make sure each contestant has sufficient cannoli on their platters.

Time announcements will be made during the competition and there will be a countdown echoed by the crowd in the seats when the countdown reaches the final ten seconds.

There will be 200 chairs set up in front of the stage for members of the public. If you wish to watch the competition, it would be wise to be at the site no later than 1:30 PM.

The 90th Annual Feast of San Gennaro, which celebrates the martyrdom of San Gennaro, the Patron Saint of Naples, begins on Thursday, September 15, and concludes on Sunday, September 25, 2016. The Feast has been presented annually since 1996 by Figli di San Gennaro (Children of San Gennaro),

The sponsors of this year's Feast are: Alleva Dairy, Disaronno, Coca-Cola, Peroni, Ferrara, FIOS by Verizon, WCBSFM 1011, SiriusXM, City Guide, Order Sons of Italy in America, IHEART Radio, AMP Radio, KTU 103.5, Q104.3, Fresh 102.7, Z100 and the Italian Tribune.