Food lovers take note: Not one, but two festivals, offering delectable treats this Saturday
If you enjoy learning about a culture through its epicurean delights, Saturday's you're lucky day. Two festivals will offer a sampling of food that's sure to delight, if not intrigue, even the pickiest of palates.
First, Hilton Head Island's annual Italian Heritage Festival is back with plenty of sweet and savory quisine. As always, cannolis and zeppoles will be hot ticket treats, but the festival also will offer plenty of main dishes and activities, including a pizza-eating contest.
Last year, the festival -- which pays homage to the Feast of San Gennaro, New York City's longest running religious festival -- drew about 3,500 people, said Carmen Hawkins DeCecco, a member of the Italian-American Club of Hilton Head, which hosts the festival.
"It's usually what you see in movies when you see the parade on Mulberry Street (in Manhattan's Little Italy)," she said.
In fact, festivalgoers started celebrating the 89th Annual Feast of San Gennaro, which honors the Patron Saint of Naples, Sept. 10 and, amazingly, will continue to celebrate through Sept. 20.
"I don't know if we could sustain that," laughed DeCecco. "But this is one good day of a lot of fun, food, festivities and entertainment."
As if one festival wasn't enough, there is a second for those of you who are nuts about boiled peanuts (and you know who you are). In fact, there's an entire day just for you.
Now in its fourth year, Bluffton's Boiled Peanut Festival offers plenty of good, peanuty fun including peanut eating and best recipe contests, live music and children's activities.
Not a fan of the mushy legume?
"Even though the boiled peanut is the focus, it's just a reason and an excuse to have a festival," said festival chair Maria Kramer, adding that last year's festival saw about 3,500 visitors.
In fact, a number of food trucks offering everything from barbecue to seafood, ice cream and other frozen treats will be at Saturday's festival, Kramer said.
But we know you're secretly a fan of the salty goodness that is the boiled peanut.
Just admit it, already.
If You Go
The Sixth Annual Italian Heritage Festival is from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, at the Coastal Discovery Museum, 70 Honey Horn Drive, Hilton Head Island and features food, arts and crafts, a bocce court, a grape-stomping contest, and a Kid's Zone.
Tickets are $6; parking is free. For more information or advance tickets, visit http://iachh.org/festival.html.
The Bluffton Boiled Peanut Festival is from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, at Bluffton Village, between the U.S. Post Office and the Bluffton Community Library, Johnston Way (off S.C. 46). It is free and features food, arts and crafts, live music, contests, and a Kid's Zone.
For more information visit blufftonchamberofcommerce.org.
Follow reporter Mindy Lucas at twitter.com/MindyatIPBG.
This story was originally published September 16, 2015 at 9:12 PM with the headline "Food lovers take note: Not one, but two festivals, offering delectable treats this Saturday."