The North Beach Festival, started by a committee that included renowned sculptor and metal artist Peter Macchiarini, began as the Upper Grant Avenue Street Fair and is the oldest urban street fair in the United States. For many years, the festival, in its current incarnation, has taken place not only along the streets of the neighborhood but also in Washington Square Park. Despite the fact the festival coordinators pay to repair any damage (and also make further improvements to the park), the park location has been a source of controversy with neighborhood groups.
                 
This year, the North Beach Chamber of Commerce and the festival’s producers reworked the footprint to exclude the park and surrounding blocks entirely from any aspect of the festival, focusing more on the streets of North Beach, more in tune with the festival’s earliest years. There will be smaller music stages, more ambient music to coordinate with the arts and crafts booths, and smaller wine gardens. The parking lot on Green Street will serve as a music area with a wine and beer garden. There will also be a historic display dedicated to the Upper Grant Avenue Street Fair and Peter Macchiarini (his son, Daniel, still runs the family metal arts design studio at 1544 Grant Avenue, founded in 1948).

The festival will stay true to its Italian roots and many beloved activities will return, including Italian chalk art “street painting,” Italian music, and the Blessing of the Animals both days at 2 p.m. at the National Shrine of Saint Francis of Assisi on Vallejo Street. The popular pizza-tossing competition, because of the park closure, will not happen this year, but organizers hope to include it in 2012.

Street closures will be as follows:
• Columbus Avenue northbound for two blocks from Broadway to Stockton (southbound Columbus open).
• Grant Avenue from Columbus to Filbert.
• Vallejo Street between Columbus and Grant (one block in front of the National Shrine of Saint Francis of Assisi and Caffe Trieste)
• Green Street between Columbus and Grant. 

That’s it … no park, no streets within a block of the park.

Public transportation is the best way to get to the festival, which will take place Saturday, June 18 and Sunday, June 19, 2011, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; proceeds benefit the North Beach community, businesses and organizations.

– S. Reynolds