Holy Rosary parish, Ansonia, will sponsor its 48th annual Italian Festival, Festa! 2015, Aug. 6 to Aug. 8 from 5 to 10 p.m. on its church grounds on 10 Father Salemi Drive in downtown Ansonia.
The festival is a celebration of Italian heritage as the parish recalls its roots as an immigrant parish in the early 1900s.
The current church (and festival) is located in the old Powe Street neighborhood that once housed a vibrant Italian enclave from 1900 to the flood redevelopment era of the 1960s.
The festival features freshly prepared Italian foods such as suffrito, lasagna al forno, porchetta, pizza fritta, ravioli fritta, fried calamari and more.
All food items are freshly prepared in the parish hall kitchen by parishioners each day. The recipes used are established, tried-and-true and finished with love.
Special dessert items are Italian pastry treats like cannoli and sfogliatelle. The festival also features gelato made by the award winning Gelato Giuliana of New Haven.
Holy Rosary’s Italian festival is rare in that the food items are freshly prepared on site by parish cooks.
Gene Sorcinelli, festival coordinator, credits the success of the festival to this main point.
“We prepare the foods ourselves using family recipes that have been tested and approved by nonnas over many years,” Sorcinelli said.
The festival also offers live musical entertainment each night. Great artists like I’Liguri will entertain on Thursday, The Navels play on Friday and our Three Tenors — Rich DePalma, Mark Lanzieri and Tony Santoli — will perform the Saturday show.
Rainbow Amusements provides rides for the children – Thursday is bracelet night. Visitors can try their hands at the games of skill and games of chance. An Italian Marketplace will sell Italian gifts and novelties ideal for the holidays or anytime.
The festival is located on flat paved grounds providing easy access for everyone. Admission is free so bring a chair and enjoy!
More information is available at: www.holyrosaryfestival.com
