President – Robert Lembo; Vice Presidents – Frank Bellafato, John Alagna; Treasurer – Jason Stevens; Secretary – John Pagluica; Sgt of Arms – Ed Esposito; Board of Directors: 

Paul Cairnano, Sean Pitale, Steve Laterri, Christina Laios, Joe Maggi, John DeCecco, Joe Mule’, Bill Cantelupe,  George Paletta

Past Presidents:  John Calamari, Bob Costantino, Jerry Cutter, Bill  Mirabella, Frank Randazzo, Tony Guasto,  Joe Pagani, Chris Tassone

1. Contestants must pre-register for this event.
2. Contestants must sign an indemnity against any indigestion or stained clothing.
3. The contestants will be given 5 minutes to consume as much spaghetti as possible. The winner will be the contestant who consumes the most spaghetti in the time allowed, water is also allowed.
4. Each contestant will be given one plate of spaghetti at a time, and will be given a refill plate once the current plate has been completely cleared of spaghetti and sauce.
5. All decisions by judges and organizer are final, including the decision of when a plate is cleared.
6. Each plate of spaghetti will have the same weight. The final plate will be deducted from the total of what is left on the plate.
7. Entry is limited and will be on a first come first serve basis.
8. The contest is open to anyone over 16 and will be limited. Under 18 must have a guardian or parent present at the event.
9. The Winner will receive the Pasta Eating Belt.

Who wants to be the 2011 Grape Stomp Champion Team

Find a stomp partner and start practicing for the Grape Stomp Contest to be held on Saturday at 12:00pm at the festival. Costumes or matching team shirts are encouraged!

We are again looking for volunteers (2 person teams) to participate. You must be 18 years of age or older to participate. Each team consists of a stomper and a swabbie. The stompers stand in the barrels and flatten the grapes with their bare feet. The swabbies stand below the barrels and catch the juice with a carafe. The team whose carafe has the most juice after stomping for 2 minutes is the winner and advances to the final round.

There are only 3 barrels so the first 9 teams to sign up will participate.

The teams will start lining up at the barrel stage located next to the main stage 15 minutes before the event (Saturday 11:45). If your team is not at the stage 15 minutes before the event, your spot will be forfeited to an alternate team. (Alternate teams are those that sign up after the first 9 teams).

So take off those shoes (and socks) and be ready to “stompa the grapes”!

The Italian-American Club of HHI, a charitable service organization dedicated to developing a better understanding of Italian history and culture, is proud to present The 2nd Annual Italian Heritage Festival on September 24th at Shelter Cove Park.

The event will feature 16 fine area restaurants: Mulberry Street, Michael Anthony’s, Antonio’s, Bada Bings, Pazzo, Street Meet, Wise Guys, Frankie Bones, One Hot Mama’s, Giuseppi’s, Stellini, Trattoria Divina, Upper Crust, NY City Pizza, Flatbread Grill, and Daniels Restaurant & Lounge. Dessert lover? We will have seven specialty booths to satisfy your sweet tooth including the Sugaree, Tea Thymes Two Catering, Frosty’s, Pino Gelato, Upper Crust and the Hilton Head Italian Club’s famous Zeppolis! Sunshine Nursery will offer fresh herbs and exhibits of landscaping, Growlers will be serving Italian beers, and Italian specialty items such as olive oils, sauces, and pasta will be available for purchase from The Village Pasta Shoppe and Michael Anthony’s.

In addition to the many food booths, we will have some exciting sights and attractions. There will be an area for viewing Italian sports cars, information on travel to Italy, and The Heritage Foundation will help you connect with the family of the past. You will be able to learn and play bocce ball, and uncover the myths of the Italian Evil Eye. Special contests include Lang’s Heating and Air’s “Pasta Eating Contest”, an I-Love-Lucy-style grape stomping contest, a stickball hitting contest, and a full-on bragger’s-delight  spaghetti “gravy” sauce contest. For auction fans, we will have a silent auction where you can bid on such island favorites as golf outings, catered dinners and food baskets. (Note: All the money raised at this event support local charities)

The Next Food Network Star contestant Orchid of One Hot Mama’s will show off her cooking skills and other cooking demonstrations include how-to’s on fresh pasta, lemoncello, and mozzarella & ricotta cheeses. Live standards will be performed by Bill and Betsy Peterson as well as our event sponsor, local radio station 104.9 The Surf, will be playing popular Italian songs.

Through this and other events, The Italian-American Club has been able to award $30,000 in scholarships and donations to local charities last year. We are proud to support the following charities: Deep Well, Volunteers in Medicine, Hospice of the Low Country, Memory Matters, Bluffton Boys and Girls Club, Mental Health Association, Program for Exceptional People, Christmas and Thanksgiving Food Baskets, Low Country Legal Aid, Saint Gregory Scholarship Fund, Recreation Department, DMC Foundation, United Way of the Lowcountry, student scholarships, MC Reilly – All State Chorus, Children Relief Fund, and Hilton Head Hero’s.

For additional details, contact club event planner John Pagluica at Pagluicajr@aol.com.

The musical sensation IL VOLO has officially landed in America!  Their self-titled album, released on Geffen Records, has debuted at #10 on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart.  This impressive debut comes after a jam packed week of TV appearances including American Idol, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, CBS Saturday Morning, Ellen and Extra TV on NBC. Already certified platinum in their native Italy, IL VOLO showcases the astonishing vocal talent of Piero Barone (17 years old), Ignazio Boschetto (16 years old), and Gianluca Ginoble (16 years old.)   Their debut album, IL VOLO,  is a mix of reimagined classics and original material that includes Italian standards “O Sole Mio” and “Il Mundo,” and two new tracks penned by multi-platinum songwriter Diane Warren. IL VOLO are the first Italian artists to sign with Geffen Records in the United States. For the latest information on the boys and to check out their video for “O Sole Mio,” visit ILVoloMusic.com.

Hi Members: Are you interested in seeing Il Volo live?  If so, would you be willing to go by bus to Melbourne, Florida on October 9, 2011, leave Hilton Head at 9:00 am by private bus to the event, overnight at a Holiday Inn Express and return on October 10^th. Watch their video here. Il Volo – \”O Sole Mio\”

Estimate cost per person $350.00 for the event. I need forty persons to make this happen.   

Call or email John Pagluica if interested.   682-4625   Pagluicajr@aol.com