Ansonia’s Holy Rosary parish will sponsor its 50th annual Italian festival, Festa! 2017, Aug. 10 to Aug. 12.
Hours are 5 to 10 p.m. on church grounds — 10 Father Salemi Drive in downtown Ansonia.
The festival is a celebration of Italian heritage as the parish recalls its roots as an immigrant church 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.
Festa! 2017 features freshly prepared Italian food favorites cooked daily by parishioners and top musical entertainment each night.
On Thursday the entertainment opens at 6 p.m. with the popular Mark and Tony Show. Each year Mark Lanzieri and Tony Santoli open Festa! with an hour of popular favorites and, of course, Sinatra. The featured entertainment is provided by I’Liguri. This duo plays and sings all the Italian traditional and modern favorites from 7 to 10 p.m. transforming the Festa! grounds into a little piece of Italy.
Friday opens with another Mark and Tony show at 6 p.m.. At 7 p.m. to closing the Navels take over with an exciting mix of rock and roll. The Navels feature the sounds of Fleetwood Mac, The Beatles, Stones, Sheryl Crow and more. Dance and groove with this exciting group that engages the audience for a lively musical experience.
On Saturday Festa! 2017 features our own Three Tenors! At 7 p.m. In this musical show Rich DePalma joins Mark Lanzieri and Tony Santoli in a three-hour lively show of Sinatra, Dean Martin, Tony Bennett and traditional Italian songs.
Festa! 2017 presents 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 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.
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 or on Facebook.
