"Feast of all Feasts" St. Anthony's Feast in Boston's North End
When I had my day off in East Boston, I began seeing Mary Riccio. Instead of taking the shortcut home from work,she took the long way around the school yard because she was sure I would see her as I was with the guys around the tin store. [Ed: It was a newspaper stand that sold newspapers, candy, and cigarettes and had a corrugated tin roof.]
Once in a while I would date her. We would go to Boston or East Boston. At times I had to take Josie [ed: Mary's younger sister] with us. Which was not to my liking
During the Summer the different Italian nationalities would celebrate a feast to their patron saint.
Italy was a nation of 22 different nationalities. And a general named Garibaldi thought that it would be better for them to be brought under one roof for economic reasons.
The feasts would start in July and go to August. It would start on a Friday night. The band would parade around the streets collecting money to defray the expenses and for the Church. And on the Friday night they would also complete their march on the bandstand give a concert until about 10 PM.
Saturday was the same, march and concert. In addition, there would be all kinds of push carts where they would sell all kinds of delicacies.
At first they would erect the bandstand on a vacant lot until the Church bought it to build the parochial school. The feast would go into Sunday night and a march first.
The big night was Monday night. After ten the band would come down from the bandstand and march to the field or the dump as it was sometimes called. Monday was fireworks. Those old timers were artists with creating all kinds of designs of different things. Pictures in fireworks. Horses, faces, etc. And in some cases where the object of a particular display would move. Besides having fireworks shooting into the sky as they do now. Only the displays of yesteryear were much more spectacular and it ended with the American flag in fireworks and the band would add to it by playing the National Anthem.
Wonderful story. In London when I was a kid there were also lots of parades for the Italian Saints' days, we used to enjoy watching them. Hugs, Valerie
ReplyDeleteThe feast days are always fun. Sights, sounds, and especially the food.
DeleteI enjoyed reading this CJ ... I'm so glad your sharing... Hugs! deb
ReplyDeleteDad would be pleased to know you enjoyed his stories.
DeleteOh my gosh. Those fireworks sound wonderful!
ReplyDeleteCJ.....fun times; would that they could return ~~
ReplyDeletesure there's festivals now, but I'm sure they are "lame" compared to these....it's to bad "video" per say.. was not available back then, I bet the fireworks display was beyond amazing what with seeing pictures ☺☺♥♥
When I was little, the town where I grew up used to have a fireworks display for the 4th. I remember seeing a wagon with wheels that looked like they were rolling and the American flag finale at the end.
ReplyDeleteI remember the American flag finale at the end of the fire works display on the fourth too! Ah, the good ole days! ;)
ReplyDeleteReally enjoyed the video CJ!
ReplyDeleteReally enjoyed what your dad wrote too! Amazing celebration! American flag in fireworks? Cool!
I know how very late I am visiting, but I'm trying to catch up today, even though I still have chills and a morbid cough. I want to thank you for visiting, even when I was so sick I could barely get out of bed.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the video, but even more, enjoyed reading about your father and his courtship with your mother during those celebrations.
When I first moved to Wichita, I saw the American Flag fireworks. I'd never seen it before or since and I have seen many firework displays. Amazing, since this was the early 90s.