The Church of the Assumption’s annual St. Anthony Italian Family Feast returns for its 15th year with four days of faith, fun, food, family, and friends. The festival will be filled with all new and different rides from a new company, games, amusements, homemade cooking, an Italian-style café, food venders, a beer & wine garden, entertainment, and music. This year, the 10 new rides will be provided by Blue Sky Amusements.
The feast, as always, is located on the Church grounds at 113 Chiego Place and will begin on Thursday, June 4th through Sunday, June 7th. The festival times for each day are:
- Thursday, June 4th from 6 p.m. till 11 p.m.
- Friday, June 5th from 6 p.m. till 11 p.m.
- Saturday, June 6th from 6 p.m. till 11 p.m.
- Sunday, June 7th from 2 p.m. till 9 p.m.
Returning entertainment will be:
- Thursday (June 4) – Nikki Briar & Sweet Briar Band performs from 7 p.m. – 9 p.m.
- Friday (June 5) – The Baron-Montemurro Duo performs from 8 p.m. – 10 p.m.
- Saturday (June 6) – The Jersey Four from 8 p.m. – 10 p.m.
- Sunday (June 7) – Jimmy Alleva performs from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Once again, local area schools for dance, karate, and music will be participating.
Additionally, two radio stations will take part in the festivities:
- Thursday (June 4th) Magic 98.3 FM Radio will be on location from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
- Sunday (June 7th) NJ 101.5 Big Yellow Prize Van will make an appearance from 3 p.m. – 5 p.m.
The Feast, which is the parish’s single largest fundraiser, is also a faith-oriented celebration and on June 7th, the Noon Mass will have Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio of Brooklyn will be the Solemn Mass Celebrant. Immediately following the Mass there will be a traditional procession through the streets with the statue of St. Anthony that will be accompanied with music by the Metropolitan Festival Band. The procession’s centerpiece will, once again, be the statue of St. Anthony, that was part of the parish when it was founded in 1907.
Pre-sale ride tickets will be available at a discounted price after all masses starting in May. There will be “Pay-One-Price” wristband nights on Thursday night and Sunday; these will not available at pre-sale. Blue Sky Amusements will also provide coupons to save $3 off of wristbands. These coupons will be placed at local participating retail locations in and around town.
There will also be nightly 50/50 and Super 50/50 during the Feast. The Super 50/50 drawing will be on Sunday at 8 p.m.
If any of the dates experience significant rain, the alternative venue of Msgr. Loreti Hall is planned to accommodate for food, cooking, the beer garden, and the Money Wheel.
For updates and more information on dates and times of all entertainment, feel free to visit the church’s website (link), their Facebook page (link), or call the rectory at (908) 245-1107.
(Photograph courtesy and property of Leona M. Seuffert)