Italian Market, a South Philly Icon, Gears Up for Celebration of Its 100th Year
By John McDevitt
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- For decades, the open-air food market along South Ninth Street in South Philadelphia has been the place to go for fine cheeses, meats, and produce.
Now, the so-called "Italian Market" is celebrating its 100th anniversary, with events being held every month until the end of the year.
The fun gets started on May 16th and 17th with the annual South Ninth Street Italian Market Festival. Then, on June 19th, the hottest food trucks in town will be gathering. July is "Multicultural Music Month." And bocci (Italian bowling game) and scopa (Italian card game) tournaments will take place in August.
Then, says Michele Gambino, business manager for the the United Merchants of South Ninth Street Business Association (below), a harvest festival is planned for September.
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"We are going to have a harvest festival the weekend before the pope gets here," she said today, quickly adding, "We are not competing with the pope! We love the pope; we want to support the pope! But we are going to have the blessing of the harvest. A little scavenger hunt may be involved with that, where people will walk up and down the street trying to find unique produce that will be on the scavenger hunt sheet."
On December 31st, a prosecco (Italian sparkling wine) toast will be held in honor of the next 100 years.
More information is available at italianmarketphilly.org.
