Glassboro’s St. Anthony’s Italian Festival is Saturday

Glassboro, New Jersey, celebrates its Italian heritage with the 5th annual St. Anthony’s Italian Festival on Saturday, Sept 17, 2016.

Billed as the city’s largest festival, it’s put on each year by the St. Anthony Mutual Aid Society, a members-only clubhouse formed in 1919 by immigrants who banned together to create better opportunities within the neighborhood for Italian-Americans.

The festival kicks off Saturday at 2 p.m. with a traditional procession of the St. Anthony statue through the downtown streets. Joining the procession will be two accordion players, the Glassboro High School Italian club (wearing traditional garb), St. Michael the Archangel schoolchildren, parish representatives from from St. Bridget Church, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Society and Knights of Columbus.

The highlight, of course, will be authentic Italian eats.

Members of St. Anthony’s will be serving up their famous roast pork sandwiches. Festival faves like sausage and peppers, meatballs, chicken cutlets and fresh cannoli from Gianina’s Bakery will also be available, as will beer and wine.

There will also be 11 food trucks on hand, including Matteo’s Pasta, Cannoli World and Maddelena’s Cheesecake Co.

“The festival is all about the food!”, exclaimed Daniele Brida Spence, one of the event organizers.

Spence is also one of the numerous live musicians providing entertainment on the main stage. Other acts include Johnny Morsa, Greg Armstrong, Michael Jones, classic rock cover band, Love Alive, and female impersonator, Holly Faris as Marilyn Monroe.

The event also includes a homemade wine making competition and bocce tournament.

Saturday, Sept. 17, 2 -10 p.m. – Center and College Aves., Glassboro, N.J.