Right around this time of year, in the early and middle parts of the 20th century, Saugatuck would celebrate the Feast of St. Anthony’s.
The entire, tight-knit Italian community poured into the streets. Music, food, games — it was a beloved highlight of the year.
Then in the mid-1950s, I-95 (“the Connecticut Turnpike”) sliced through Saugatuck. Homes were demolished, streets destroyed. St. Anthony’s Hall gradually faded, as a center of social life.
Eventually, St. Anthony’s Feast faded too.
In 1983, a group of volunteers revived the tradition. Festival Italiano — held in Luciano Park, and the nearby railroad station parking lot — quickly became 3 things: A new Saugatuck tradition. A town-wide fair.
And an attraction that drew visitors from all over the tri-state region (especially Brooklyn).
Italian Fest director Roberta Troy and grand marshal Buck Iannacone exchange glances during the parade.
For 27 years — with people like Lou and Marge Santella, and Mike and Carla Rae at the helm — “the Italian Fest” was a cherished part of Westport summers. With carnival rides and booths, tons of food (especially pizza, zeppole and the like), and entertainment (including favorites like Johnny Maestro), an old-fashioned parade, and MC John LaBarca (host of the long-running “Italian House Party” on local radio station WMMM), it was a modern-but-retro version of St. Anthony’s Feast.
Best of all: the sponsoring Sons of Italy returned $2.5 million to local charities.
But in 2011, Festival Italiano became another memory too.
It had become harder to find volunteers. Costs rose. Sponsors dwindled.
Saugatuck has changed so much over the years. St. Anthony’s Hall on Franklin Street, and the Sons of Italy building on Riverside Avenue, are gone.
Families like Capasse, Anastasia, Luciano, Cribari, Giunta, Caruso, D’Aiuto, Dorta, Romano, DeMattio, Arciola, DeMace, D’Amico, Manere, Capuano, Arcudi, Melillo, Rubino, Caputo, Tiberio, Bottone, Nazzaro, Saviano, Reitano, Valiante, Tedesco, Gilbertie and Nistico are spread all over town — and the world.
The neighborhood was redeveloped in the early 2000s. Now — with plans afoot for new apartments and retail — it’s changing again.
It’s been over a decade and a half since the last Festival Italiano. An entire generation of newcomers has moved here, with no memory — or even knowledge — of that great summer fair.
And even less knowledge of the Feast of St. Anthony’s, which preceded it.
Time marches on. But if it marched backward, we’d all be outside this week, in the middle of Saugatuck.
We’d listen to music. Play games. Ride rides. Meet old friends. Enjoy life.
And of course, eat way too much fried dough.
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