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By Benjamin William Stephens |
The aroma of cooking filled the air, accompanied by the sounds of Frank Sinatra and the cheerful buzz of hundreds of happy people, as Patchogue’s Feast of Saint Liberata made its annual return on Saturday for the 57th time, celebrating Italian culture and heritage.
The Feast of Saint Liberata was founded by Carmine Bianco, an Italian immigrant who moved to Patchogue in 1923. According to the Greater Patchogue Foundation, the host of the yearly festival, Bianco fell gravely ill and prayed to Saint Liberata every night, vowing to host an annual celebration with the local Italian community along Waverly Avenue in her honor if he survived. He did, and thus, the tradition began.
This year’s event began as usual with a parade down Main Street. Marching behind were members of the Knights of Columbus, followed closely by Patchogue Village Mayor Paul Pontieri, as well as other marchers.
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This 2024 festival honored Patchogue’s Knights of Columbus #725 as the 2024 Italian Americans of the Year. Last year, the honor went to Rob Calarco, a former Suffolk County legislator.
After the parade, various officials took the stage to give speeches, led by David Kennedy of the Greater Patchogue Foundation, and to present proclamations.
Suffolk County Legislator Dominick Thorne, a member of the Knights of Columbus, expressed his gratitude, saying, “I am wildly honored and humbled to be here with the Knights of Columbus” before presenting the knights with a proclamation. “We will continue to support you and everything you do,” he added.
In addition to the parade, speeches, live music, and vendor stalls, the festival featured a bocce ball tournament, a cheerleading performance from Patchogue-Medford High School students, a zeppole-eating contest, and a car show.
All the money pinned to the statue of Saint Liberata during the ceremony and throughout the festival will be donated to Our Lady of Mount Carmel and Saint Frances de Sales Outreach.
Below are some photos from the festivities.
Photos
Benjamin William Stephens is a reporter with The SBU Media Group, part of Stony Brook University’s School of Communication and Journalism’s Working Newsroom program for students and local media.
Top: Scene from the 2024 Patchogue Feast of Saint Liberata. (Credit: Benjamin William Stephens/GLI Photo)
