ABBONDANZA!

If you live in the Baltimore Maryland area, and have never been to the annual Little Italy film festival, you are really missing out on a great time. It all began 10 years ago when the Little Italy Restaurant Association put up a huge blank billboard that was to advertise the names and logos of the charter members. Due to municipal laws, they were not able to put their advertisement up as planned. This left them with a big blank billboard for nearly one year. During a meeting to determine what was to be done about this blank wall, it was mentioned jokingly that they should consider using it as as a film screen. Well, one thing led to another and as luck would have it, the screen was the perfect size and distance to project an image from a window across the street. The rest is history.

The free film festival draws in thousands of people from all over the area. Many arrive early, stake their claim on a few seats and then go and partake in the great Italian food, music and good cheer that this community event evokes. If you've never dined in the area Abbondanza! highly recommends the following:

Amici's
231 S. High St.
Baltimore, MD 21202
(410) 528-1096

Della Notte Ristorante of Little Italy
801 Eastern Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21202
(410) 837-5500

Sabatino's Italian Restaurant
901 Fawn Street
Baltimore, MD 21202
(410) 727-9414

Vaccaro's Italian Pastry Shop
222 Albemarle St.
Baltimore, MD 21202
(410) 685-4905


Film Festival Dates and Films

• July 11 - “MOONSTRUCK”
• July 18 - “SEABISCUIT”
• July 25 - “MY BIG, FAT, GREEK WEDDING”
• Aug. 1 - “HAIRSPRAY”
• Aug. 8 - “CINDERELLA MAN”
• Aug. 15 - “THE BLUES BROTHERS”
• Aug. 22 - “LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL”
• Aug. 29 - “CINEMA PARADISO”