PHOTOS: Giglio Feast, an Italian-American tradition, returns to Williamsburg
It takes a lot of effort to lift the four-ton tower
After a one-year absence due to the pandemic, the historic Feast of the Giglio returned to Williamsburg and Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church on Sunday, attracting thousands to the neighborhood streets.
The venerable Italian-American festival actually lasts for 12 days, but Sunday’s celebration was the highlight — the lifting of the Giglio, a wooden platform holding a four-ton seven-story tower that bears a brass band, a singer and the parish priest. Several hundred strong men lift the Giglio several times (known as “dancing of the Giglio”) and carry it through the streets.
Until recently, the lifters all came from the local Italian-American community, but due to demographic changes in the neighborhood, starting in 2019 the parish advertised for any able-bodied men who wished to lift the Giglio. The response was enthusiastic.