Date: Sep 10, 2007

HOFSTRA ITALIAN FESTIVAL CELEBRATES 15TH YEAR ON SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2007

Featuring Food, Children's Activities and Live Entertainment; Outdoors, Rain or Shine, South Campus; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY, HEMPSTEAD, NY ... Hofstra University hosts the 15th Annual Italian Experience on Sunday, September 16, 2007, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. outdoors on the South Campus. The Italian Experience has grown to be a popular Long Island tradition, as well as one of the largest festivals of its kind in the United States, celebrating Italy's gifts of culture, education and commerce to America. As in the past, the Italian Experience will feature a full itinerary of crafts, live entertainment and food.

Entertainment from the following groups are tentatively scheduled: Long Island Mandolin and Guitar Orchestra, "Sing and Dance Along" with Angelo and Federico, traditional folk songs and dance performed by "I Paesani," "Pop-era" featuring members of the Bronx Opera Company, Katie's Puppets, The Magic of Infantino, the Italian-American "Poet's and Writer's Piazza," presented by the Association of Italian American Educators (AIAE); and vocal performances sponsored by L'Esperienza Magazine. (**Please note: the entertainment schedule is subject to change).

Theatergoers may also attend a matinee performance of Oklahoma!, presented by Hofstra’s Gray Wig theater at 2 p.m. at the John Cranford Adams Playhouse. Tickets are $29; $27 senior citizen (over 65); $15 matriculated non-Hofstra student; and $10 with current faculty/staff/student HofstraCard (two-ticket maximum). For tickets and more information on Oklahoma! call the Hofstra Box Office at (516) 463-6644.

Suggested donation to the Italian Experience is $3 per person. The public may call Hofstra’s Festival Hotline at (516) 463-6582 or visit www.hofstra.edu/Festivals for more information. For vendor information call Vivian Passuello at (516) 463-6504.

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