In late August, 18th Avenue closes down for the Feast of Santa Rosalia. Every Italian-American in the neighborhhood comes together to enjoy sausage and peppers, pizza, marzipan fruit, baked clams, linguine with mussels, panelles (fried chick pea pattie with ricotta and parmesan cheese on a toasted bun), zeppoles (fried dough sprinkled with powdered sugar), and vanilla or chocolate cannoli's.
Numerous trattorias display their best dishes while an Italian band fills the air with both traditional and pop Italian songs. There are many knick-knacks to buy including red bull horns, colored mirror key chains, t-shirts that say "Proud to be Italian," house music, ten-minute Chinese massages, and fortunes.
Muscle men walk around with snakes around their necks or an iguana propped on their shoulders, young teenagers parade up and down the avenue and families gather for gelato and games.
On the weekend, Goombah Johnny of KTU, a NY-based dance radio station, usually stops by to get the party started.