A beloved tradition with roots back to the early 1900s returns to South Philadelphia. The Annual St. Nicholas of Tolentine Authentic Italian Festival will bring out thousands of people on Sunday, October 6th, to the 1700 Block of South 9th Street, from 12 Noon to 8:00pm. One of the largest authentic Italian festivals of the year is back and starts with the annual religious procession throughout the neighborhood with a long line of the Statues of Saints and their faithful following.
Italian festivals have been held at St. Nicholas of Tolentine Church for over 100 years. The parish was established in 1912 by Italian immigrants who wished to maintain a connection to their homeland, and their great spirit of faith, family and tradition has been maintained throughout the decades. The current-day festival began in 1987 on the occasion of the parish’s 75th Anniversary and has been thriving ever since. The event takes place annually on the first Sunday of October and is held on the 1700 Block of South 9th Street. It is no charge and open to the public. After the pandemic, the event returned in 2023 with a beautiful sunny day and thousands of people filling the streets once again!
Rev. Nick Martorano, pastor of the church, has strived to make it a very special celebration for South Philadelphia. He said, “We wanted to create an opportunity for our entire community, not just our parishioners, to come together and celebrate one of the many diverse cultures that make our neighborhood so great.”…