ADVISORY/San Francisco Celebrates Italia This Weekend!; 134th Annual Italian Heritage Parade Arrives in North Beach on Sunday, October 13th.

Assignment Desks/Entertainment Reporters

ADVISORY...for Sunday (Oct. 13)

--(BUSINESS WIRE)

WHAT:  San Francisco's Italian Heritage Parade, the City's oldest
       civic event and the nation's oldest Italian-American parade and
       community celebration. Tens of thousands of spectators are
       expected.

WHEN:  Sunday, October 13, 2002. Parade starts at 12:30 p.m. and runs
       until approximately 2:30 p.m.

WHERE: Parade begins at Stockton and Jefferson Streets at Fisherman's
       Wharf, proceeds south through North Beach on Columbus Avenue
       and ends in Washington Square in front of Sts. Peter and Paul
       Church.

WHO:   -- 2002 Italian Heritage Parade Grand Marshal Dennis Farina.
       -- Honorary Grand Marshals Angelo Quaranta of the San Francisco
          Police Commission; Vincent Tummino of the New York Fire
          Department (FDNY); and Richard Angeletti of the New York
          Police Department (NYPD).
       -- Actress Loni Anderson, who is participating in the Parade on
          behalf of the National Lung Health Education Program to
          further awareness of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
          (COPD).
       -- Christopher Columbus (aka Joseph Cervetto, Jr.)
       -- Queen Isabella and her Court
       -- Sbandieratori di Assisi Flag Throwers, San Francisco Bay
          Area Accordion Group, the Il Quartiere Italiano dancers,
          along with high school marching bands, community
          organizations, and a dozen festive Parade floats.

PRESS
AREA:  A Media/VIP Area will be located in Washington Square on the
       Columbus Avenue side immediately behind the spectator
       bleachers. Dennis Farina, Loni Anderson and other Italian
       Heritage Parade participants will be available for pre-event
       press interviews and photos between 11:00-11:45 a.m. on
       Sunday morning.

INFO:  415/434-1492 or www.sfcolumbusday.org