SHENANDOAH - The green, white and red flag of Italy boldly stood out along Washington Street in Shenandoah as the popular three-day Italian Festival kicked off Friday evening.
The festival was held as usual on West Washington Street between Chestnut and Gilbert streets near Our Lady of Mount Carmel Roman Catholic Church, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this Sunday.
And while the festival had many people smiling because of the food and entertainment and good times, it was also a time of some sadness since it most likely will be the last such festival with the merger of the parish with the new Divine Mercy Church on July 28.
However, what will happen didn't stop everyone from enjoying themselves. Friday's festivities were slated to start at 5 p.m., but some showed up early to get a parking spot close to the fun, and then waited for the stands and the ticket booth to open.
One such early bird was Baldine Traini Rossi, Palo Alto, who was thrilled when she learned that the festival would be held again. The festival was not held for the past several years.
"For years, God rest her soul, I came up here with my mother," Rossi said. "When she passed, I started coming up with other people. The festival stopped for a couple of years, and when I saw it in the paper, I said that I have to get up here and get here early. I haven't had the fried dough in years, and the porketta sandwiches are almost as good as in Italy. It's good Italian food that I haven't had in ages."
Dorothy Rakus, Shenandoah, came over for some food and carried a bag to her home.
"I got two porketta sandwiches, a meatball sub and a bowl of wedding soup," Rakus said. "I was really looking forward to this since they haven't had it for several year and we came every year. I'm sad to see that this is going to be the last one. It's going to be sad to see these churches closing. It's just heartbreaking. It really is. I remember as kids we came to this and we looked forward to the procession on Sunday."
Parishioner Sue Probition, Shenandoah, is one of the organizers and she said it has been hard work getting everything together, but the preparation worked out well.
"Everything is together. We've been right on schedule, moving right along," Probition said. "All our plans came through, so it's fantastic."
As the festival got closer, Probition received many positive comments.
"Wonderful. Fantastic. Great. We can't wait for it. Thank you for doing it," Probition said. "That's what we've been getting. People are so looking forward to this. There are people coming from California and Maine."
Probition said the food is a big draw because it is so different from many other block parties and bazaars.
"That's our advantage. Our food is different. You will not find a bleenie or a pierogie or a kielbasi sandwich," Probition said. "We have sausage hoagies, meatball hoagies, porketta sandwiches, spaghetti and meatballs, pepperoni filling, Italian wedding soup, pasta fagiole, and our dessert table looks fabulous. And we have beer, wine coolers, soda."
There were also games of chance for adults and children, bingo and the beer garden. Live music was provided by the band Ghost County.
The festival continues from 5 to 11 p.m. today with music provided by Toolshed Jack. On Sunday, the festival begins at 6 p.m. with music by Rick Lorady as Dean Martin. As dusk arrives, the traditional fireworks display provided by Zambelli International Fireworks Co. will be held.
On Sunday morning, the Mass for the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel will be celebrated at 9 a.m. with the Most Rev. John O. Barres, bishop of the Diocese of Allentown, as the main celebrant. Concelebrants will be Monsignor Ronald Bocian, pastor, and Monsignor Anthony Muntone, a native of Shenandoah and native son of the parish. Following the Mass, the large Our Lady of Mount Carmel statue will be carried by parishioners through the borough streets.