By Darlene Brace
Are you ready to indulge in some delicious authentic Italian food? Well, it’s time again for the community to enjoy the annual Italian Festival at St. James Church taking place on July 11th from 11am-6pm. The festival will be held near the church located at 27 Allen Street. An enormous tent will be set up several days in advance to prepare for this festive occasion. This long-standing Italian Festival has been celebrated for over twenty years. The event features members of the parishes from the Catholic Neighbors in Faith, which includes Catholic parishes in Jamestown, Lakewood, and Randolph, as well as other community volunteers.
A festival committee of about twenty individuals is responsible for planning the festival, led by Sally Donisi, the event coordinator. Sally said that approximately forty people assist in preparing the authentic, traditional dishes and around one hundred volunteers help on the day of the event. Annually, about 2,000 people attend this event that people from the community and beyond look forward to each summer.
A huge part of the preparation for the festival involves getting some of the food ready weeks and/or days in advance. One of the specialty items that is very popular is the Carduni sandwiches. Volunteers spend hours picking and cleaning burdock, which are then parboiled and frozen. On the day of the festival, the mixture is formed into patties with eggs, cheese, and seasoning, then fried and made into sandwiches. These sandwiches are extremely popular, and they sometimes run out. This year, they are preparing seventy pounds of burdock, which should last most of the day.
Another item that is prepared in advance is the dough used for some of the food. One popular dish using the premade dough are the rice balls. About two days before the event, they use this light and fluffy dough to make rice balls filled with meat, cheese, and rice, which are then coated in breadcrumbs and deep-fried on the day of the event. They are always a huge hit. The same dough is also used to make pepperoni balls.
There will be a variety of other food dishes available, including tripe and sausage subs that will be cooked on-site. Additionally, delicious options such as pizza and pasta will be donated by the Jamestown restaurant, Sauce. You can see that there is an abundance of food dishes to satisfy your appetite.
For dessert, you’ll be tempted by several amazing treats. Some of the premade dough will be used to create fried dough with various toppings. Other sweet options will include chocolate and white Italian cookies, as well as cannoli, which will be available both filled and unfilled.
In addition to food, there will be plenty of fun entertainment. Music will be playing throughout the day, with a DJ from Star Sirch providing tunes for everyone to enjoy. From 2-6pm, the Happy Days Band will take the stage, delivering a lively mix of music from various generations and genres that is sure to please the crowd.
As a special treat, a small group of Italian dancers will showcase two traditional Italian dances. Following that, they will invite audience participation for the traditional wedding dance, where everyone is invited to dance to the upbeat music.
For added excitement, they have a new prize wheel, basket raffles, and 50/50 drawings. Other raffle tickets will be available for chances to win cash prizes. To keep the children entertained, there will be a Kids’ Corner from 12-4pm, featuring face painting, sand art, a lollipop tree, crafts, and cookie decorating.
Sally Donisi said, “One of the most cherished Italian traditions is to gather around a table with family and friends to enjoy great food, entertainment, and wine. The Italian Festival’s goal is to keep those traditions alive as a great place to enjoy great company and great authentic foods. Join us at this once-a-year event and don’t miss out! We are thankful for our pastors, festival committee, parish staff, volunteers, community members, and the sponsors for their help and support that makes the Italian Festival in Jamestown possible.”
Join them at the Italian Festival at St. James Church, where they celebrate authentic food, traditions, and entertainment. This beloved summer festival is free to enter and brings the community together to enjoy homemade Italian cuisine, live performances, and the rich Italian cultural heritage, all under the big tent. Don’t miss out on this special experience!