Bobby Agrippino, who runs the North End Boston Food Tour and is Mirabella’s lifelong friend, said, “I bring my people from the food tour, and I introduce them to a lot of the stands. … And I definitely introduce them to Ricky, because he’s the King of Calamari.”
The North End is famous for its vibrant celebrationsthroughout the summer, such as Saint Anthony’s Feast, which is being held over Labor Day Weekend. Authentic Italian food is a big part of the draw, as nearly a hundred vendors line the streets — some of whom return year after year. For the people behind the stalls, such as Mirabella, the festivals are a testament to community among Italians in the Commonwealth.
Running the stands requires investment in time, money, and stamina. On festival days, Mirabella gets by on about three hours of sleep.
On Friday, Mirabella set up his stand at 6 a.m. and started his day with a trip to South Boston to buy fresh fish. By evening, seafood rested atop a bed of ice, as the scent of the ocean lingered around the tent.
“You try to get everything done ahead of time,” Mirabella said. “It’s a lot of work, and it’s a lot of fun.”
Foot traffic at the festivals depends on the weather, Mirabella said, noting the rain Friday afternoon “hurt us a little today.” But by 7 p.m., the streets were crowded with festivalgoers.
Rick Pezzano prepared a plate at the Boston Fried Calamari booth during St. Anthony’s Feast in the North End. Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff
Attendees ate a variety of foods as they explored the North End streets that were blocked off for the festival. Some carried cups of Italian ice and others ate slices of folded thin pizza, as traces of grease stuck on the paper plates they were holding. Colorful signs advertised all kinds of ravioli: cheese, fried, and ravioli.
At one stand, a vendor dropped a strainer of pasta into a hollowed cheese wheel. He ladled pasta water into the wheel, scraped its insides, and swirled the noodles into the creamy mixture. Finally, he heaped pasta into a Styrofoam box and shot a stream of shiny truffle oil on top.
“Shake it up,” he advised, as he passed off the box to the onlooking customer. By the tent, a small line of people hovered with their cellphones out, as they documented the pasta-making spectacle.
Among those customers were Chris and Caroline Parker who, heeding the chef’s advice, shook their box and opened it on the street, eager to take a bite. The couple, hailing from Tulsa, Okla., booked a trip to Boston for their “babymoon,” with their third child on the way.
“It’s like I’m in Naples, right on the street,” said Chris Parker, after a mouthful of cheesy goodness.
Some stalls are mobile businesses that rely on events, such as the North End festivals, for revenue. Gregg Fratto,the owner of Crispelli USA, a business based in Lawrence, sells rice balls — a popular street food in Sicily — at his tent, as well as from his food truck.
Fratto offers different fillings, such as beef, chicken, and cheese. At his stand, there were trays of rice balls, which were kept warm and glowed yellow under a lamp.
He tends to stick to New York, New Jersey, and Boston. The farthest the business has traveled, though, is West Virginia.
“There were no Italians there,” he said. “They had no idea what [rice balls] were.”
Ashebir Gezmu carried his son Markonal, 10, on his shoulders while walking past the vendors. Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff
For those with a sweet tooth, Chocolate Moonshine Co., with a location in Burlington, showcased an assortment of fudge, from Belgian chocolate to bacon pickle. Employee David Rao handed off tiny samples to onlooking customers.
“You’ve got to get an acquired taste for pickle,” he said, laughing.
North End natives are familiar with the sights, sounds, and tastes of the Italian festivals. Michael Coppola, 77, grew up in the North End, so he knows “every nook and cranny” of the area. He now lives in Florida, but almost every summer, he comes back to be with family.
As a kid, he used to sell corn on the cob with his cousin during the festivals. He recalls hollering, “Get your corn on the cob!” outside his house.
“The more noise you make, the more corn you sell,” Coppola said.
But on Friday evening, he wasn’t making much noise, or selling any corn. Under an empty tent, he settled into a chair, transported back to his childhood, as he watched the crowds drift by.
Jessica Ma can be reached at jessica.ma@globe.com.
Dining and Cooking