Feast of the Assumption Festival brings community together

(Courtesy photo of R.J. Near)

RAVENA — On Aug. 9, the Church of St. Patrick hosted its big annual Feast of the Assumption Festival (also called Assunta Festa, or just Festa, due to its roots in Italian tradition). The sun was shining, music was playing and hundreds turned out for this free event! Gina Andrews, who chairs the Festa Committee, estimates there were around 700 people in attendance.

The Festa kicked off at 1 p.m., with a Gospel reading and a procession around the block carrying a statue of Mary while the church bells rang. Then it was time for the party! There was food, commemorative bags, temporary tattoos, a bounce house, a climbing wall, therapy dogs, demonstrations from the fire department and more. Live music from the band Soul Provider drew crowds, and the church was open with Marian music playing and a standing invite for people to take a tour.

The Festa is only in its second year in this iteration — but it is a community tradition that goes back much further. St. Patrick’s used to host a huge parade and festival every year in the ’70s, and Andrews’ grandfather was one of the organizers.

So when St. Patrick’s new Events Committee was formed with the goal of strengthening and growing the community, Andrews immediately wanted to bring back the community event she remembered fondly. She is grateful to the many volunteers who help make the day a success each year. It wouldn’t be possible without them.

When asked what her favorite part of the Festa is, Andrews answered immediately: “Oh, definitely the procession! And then just seeing everybody come out — we’ve got people coming out who don’t even come to church anymore, and we get to see them and say hello.”

Goals moving forward? To keep growing bigger of course! The Festa is a gift to the community, not a fundraiser — all sales and sponsorships are meant simply to cover costs and to continue expanding in the next year. And the date is already picked out: Sunday, Aug. 15, 2027. So save the date — we’ll hope to see you there!