St. Anthony's Feast 2023
Hours: | Hours Vary see below |
In/Outdoor: | Outdoor |
Cost: | Free |
Category: | Fairs & Festivals |
View Schedule of Events
Begun in 1919, by Italian immigrants from the small town of Montefalcione in Avellino, Saint Anthony’s Feast has become the largest Italian Religious Festival in New England. Named the “Feast of all Feasts” by National Geographic Magazine, this authentic Italian street festival has it all for people of every age: parades, strolling singers, live entertainment, contests and religious services are held daily.
Visitors stroll the beautifully decorated streets sampling the best Italian street foods from 100 pushcarts enjoying arancini, sausage peppers & onion, quahogs, calamari, pizza, pasta and of course zeppole, cannoli and gelato. Guests can also browse the wide selection of souvenir keepsakes and mementos.
The highlight of the Feast is the ten hour procession of the Statue of Saint Anthony through the streets of the North End accompanied by devotees, numerous marching bands and floats. The Statue of the Saint returns to his chapel as confetti and streamers cascade from the rooftops.
There are many North End Feasts & Festivals in Boston throughout the summer. Find out more about the most popular events and when they take place in our guide to summer fun in the city.
Other events include: The Filippo Berio Culinary Pavilion featuring cooking demonstrations and sampling from the North End and Boston’s most fabulous restaurant, an annual Open Air Mass in honor of Saint Anthony, including the veneration and individual blessing of the Relic of Saint Anthony and the distribution of blessed Saint Anthony Bread.
The magazine of Italian Food Wine & Culture said Saint Anthony’s Feast is “a spectacle not to be missed!” Saint Anthony’s Feast is held annually on the weekend of the last Sunday of August.
The tradition and customs of honoring Saint Anthony of Padua in the North End of Boston date back to early part of the twentieth century and the large numbers of southern Italian immigrants that reached the shores of America at that time.
Hundreds of thousands of poor European immigrants flooded the urban centers of northeastern United States. In Boston these immigrants settled in the North End.
These immigrants brought with them the customs and traditions that they celebrated in their homeland for centuries.
A group of men from the small mountain town of Montefalcione, Avellino, just east of Naples in the Campagnia region of Italy founded what is known as today as the San Antonio Di Padova Da Montefalcione, Inc. Since 1919, as is done in Montefalcione on the weekend of the last Sunday of August the Saint Anthony and Saint Lucy Societies and the people of the North End celebrate the Feasts of Saint Anthony and Saint Lucy.
Looking for more fun Boston events in August? Our handy guide is filled with lots of ideas for events and things to do during the summer.
photo credit: Matt Conti
HOURS | ↑ top |
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WEBSITE | ↑ top |
LOCATION | ↑ top |
Endicott Street, North End, MA, 02113 map
Phone: (617) 723-TONY
REVIEWS | ↑ top |
Loved it
Stumbled upon this festival this past weekend on a spur of the moment trip to Boston! We have a 'Feast of the Assumption' in Cleveland's Little Italy where we are from, and this is very similar but BETTER!! Great food, and amazing oysters. Don't have the great seafood in CLE. Hope to return in years to come. RELATED LINKS | ↑ top |
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