Brooklynites gathered last weekend to celebrate the Santa Rosalia Feast’s fourth annual cannoli-eating contest, continuing a decades-old neighborhood tradition of food, music and community while challenging competitors to see who could claim bragging rights for eating the most cannolis in three minutes.

This year marked the fourth time organizers have held the competition, according to organizer Lucia Zito. The contest was organized with Villabate Bakery, with Il Colosseo, Pastosa Ravioli and Robert Di Falco Realty serving as sponsors.

The competition — hosted on Aug. 24 by Joe Causi on WCBS FM 101 — holds events in both men’s and women’s categories and provides six contestants with 25 mini cannolis. Whoever eats the most in three minutes is crowned victorious. 

Bianca Gala took first place in the women’s competition.Photo by Arthur de Gaeta

The winners included two Brooklynites: Gravesend resident Bianca Gala in the women’s competition and Bensonhurst resident Michael Fame in the men’s competition.

The competition is part of the larger feast, which continues a tradition that has been a fixture in the community for decades. In its 52nd year, the Santa Rosalia Feast brings Italian history to Brooklyn while adding the food, music and neighborhood revelry that have made the event a fixture on the borough’s summer calendar. 

Villabate Bakery, which has served the neighborhood since 1978, also continued its longstanding tradition of feeding those taking part in the celebration. The bakery is owned by Emanuele Alaimo Senior and operated with members of his family, including his son Emanuele Junior and his wife, Lena.

Villabate Bakery provides the mini cannolis eaten in each competition.Photo by Arthur de Gaeta

According to Zito, the bakery has been providing food for the community during the feast since its early years.

“The Villabate every year, they’ve been doing this since the beginning, feeding everyone from the procession with rice balls, cannoli, cannoli, they, espresso, water. They’ve been doing it forever,” she said.

The food is provided free of charge to those attending the procession.

The competition sees six contestants trying to eat the most cannolis in three minutes.Photo by Arthur de Gaeta

The feast also included music as part of the day’s festivities. At the beginning of the event, Vincenzo “Enzo” Venuto performed. Zito identified Venuto as a member of The Caleps.

The religious portion of the celebration continued with a procession to Our Lady of Guadalupe for a 3 p.m. mass, followed by the return of participants to the feast around 4:30 p.m.

For organizers, the combination of religious traditions, local businesses, food and neighborhood participation remains central to the event.

Now in its 52nd year, the Santa Rosalia Feast features rides, games, music and more in Bensonhurst.Photo by Arthur de Gaeta

“They’ve been serving this community since 1978,” Zito said.

With the cannoli contest now in its fourth year, organizers hope the competition will become another enduring part of the annual celebration.

“Hopefully we’ll continue on to do it,” she continued.