ENFIELD, CT — Just a year shy of its milestone 100th anniversary, the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Society Italian Festival is returning to the Society grounds on Park Avenue next weekend. This year’s feast is slated for Aug. 1 and 2 from 5-11 pm., and Aug. 4 from 5-10 p.m. Admission is just $3, with children under 12 free.
The annual gathering of family and friends gives thanks to the Blessed Mother and celebrates the club’s Italian heritage. The club was officially formed in 1926, and its yearly celebration offers outstanding live entertainment by local favorites, rides and games and delicious homemade delicacies like pasta fagioli, sausage and peppers, ziti and meatballs, pizza and fried dough.
Among the most popular food items not readily available elsewhere are porchetta sandwiches, consisting of pork slow-cooked in wine and served with broccoli rabe, and arancini rice balls, filled with beef, peas, cheese and marinara sauce.
“We must have sold 1,000 of those last time,” Society president Carl Sferrazza told Patch. “We have all genuine food made by our members. We are one of the few festivals left with no outside food vendors. There are no food trucks here. The expectation at an Italian festival is top-quality, and some of the recipes we use are 100 years old.”
Some popular area acts will be taking the stage throughout the weekend. Johnny Sixgun is scheduled to play Friday night, and Brass Attack is slated to perform Saturday night. Lights Out, a tribute to the great Frankie Valli of the Four Seasons, will close the festival Sunday.
Other entertainment will be provided by a genuine Italian accordian player throughout the weekend, and a special performance by an Italian dance troupe Saturday at 7 p.m.
Marenna Amusements returns to the festival this year, providing fun carnival rides and games for all ages.
The festival does not officially open until Friday, but the previous evening will feature a traditional candlelight procession through neighboring streets, followed by refreshments. A customary Sunday morning Mass, spoken partly in Italian, will commence outdoors at the chapel at 9 a.m., followed by a procession of the Our Lady statue through Enfield and Thompsonville with a live Italian band, La Roma, from Boston.
More information may be found here.
Dining and Cooking