St. Ann's Italian Festa in Raritan returning this summer after five-year-hiatus
After five years without pizza fritte, meatballs, breaded eggplant and sausage and peppers, the beloved St. Ann's Italian Festa is returning in Raritan Borough.
The free-admission festival that normally attracts about 2,000 people per day and sells out of food will return for its 115th running June 20-22.
Although in the past the Festa has been a four-day event, this year it will be three days as organizers gear up after a hiatus that left an uncertain future of the principal fundraiser for St. Ann Church and accompanying St. Ann Classical Academy.
COVID and financial difficulties left the Festa in purgatory. But Joe Cirillo, a volunteer who led the efforts to restore it, is ready for its return, and he’s never even attended.
“As someone who has been invested in this for a few years, it’s exciting to see it all come together now that it’s actually on the calendar,” Cirillo said. “I’m looking forward to having my first pizza fritte.”
He’s not the only one. To revive the Festa, nearly 200 people attended a fundraising dinner in September. Almost $11,000 was raised through that and donations, which was even more than organizers’ $10,000 goal.
That money was used to repair “Vinny the Vat,” a commercial-sized pot that makes up to 60 gallons of tomato sauce at a time. A new industrial-sized refrigerator and coffeemaker were also purchased, and the industrial-sized freezer will soon be repaired or replaced.
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“Those pieces of equipment were the biggest issues,” Cirillo said. “I don’t see the Festa being canceled due to an equipment issue again.”
However, one more piece of the pie is still needed. Since the Festa is very labor-intensive, volunteers are needed for tasks such as cooking, washing dishes, running games, running food and bussing tables. Most importantly, an electrician volunteer is needed. Those interested can contact Cirillo at jwi3304440@aol.com.
Cirillo hopes to also bring back the procession of Saint Rocco, a statue inside the church and the patron saint of the Festa. The procession has not taken place for several years.
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“He’s a big deal when it comes to Italian feasts,” Cirillo said. “We want to try and make this as authentic to the tradition as possible.”
But to Raritan residents, many who have Italian heritage, just the news that the Festa is returning is delicious enough.
“The other day at church, an old Italian lady came up to me and told me how happy she was that the Festa is coming back,” Cirillo recalled. “She remembered how she would roll meatballs and wash dishes for it, and she was so glad that younger generations are continuing the tradition.”
Go: Thursday, June 20 through Saturday, June 22; facebook.com/StAnnFesta; contact jwi3304440@aol.com to volunteer.
Contact: JIntersimone@MyCentralJersey.com
Jenna Intersimone has been a staff member at the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey since 2014, after becoming a blogger-turned-reporter following the creation of her award-winning travel blog. To get unlimited access to her stories about food, drink and fun, please subscribe or activate your digital account today. You can also follow her on Instagram at @seejennaeat and on Twitter at @JIntersimone.
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: St. Ann's Italian Festa in Raritan NJ returning this summer
