Italian feast draws crowds to Williamsburg
The 128th Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and St. Paulinus of Nola, the second largest Italian-American Giglio feast in New York City that features the lifting of an 80-foot-tall, four-ton statue by 125 well-trained men, kicked off on Wednesday, July 8 in Williamsburg with opening night mass and a candlelight procession.
The 12-day festival honoring San Paolino, which originated with Brooklyn immigrants from the Italian region of Nola, takes place at North Eighth and Havemeyer Streets. During the celebration, Italiophiles from around the U.S, Williamsburg hipsters, and other New York City residents join Italian American community members for live nightly entertainment, Italian specialties and international delicacies, parades, children’s rides and amusements, a bazaar with souvenirs, and the atmosphere and excitement of Italy.
“A lot of the people that participate now have been doing it since they were children, and their parents did it, and their grandparents did it,” said Carolyn Stone, a spokesperson for Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the church that hosts the event.