By Christine Lorraine Morgan ~ Aug. 17, 2023

Presenting an abundance of photos from the 2023 St. Paul’s Italian Festival, all of which were taken on Sunday, Aug. 13.

Although we don’t know the names of the volunteers pictured here, we wanted to be sure to give them a big “THANK YOU” because without them, this event wouldn’t be able to be celebrated year after year.

Some of these images were captured by Nicholas Sanfilippo, others by yours truly. They are presented in chronological order, for the most part.

See you next year!

Mass has ended, it’s time for the Procession to begin.

The beautiful image of the Blessed Virgin Mary is gingerly lifted through the church’s main entrance.

Spiritual leaders make their way toward the intersection of W. 16th and Walnut, where the Procession of the Blessed Virgin Mary starts.

Everyone takes their places. This view is special as the historical plaque regarding the History of Little Italy appears to be part of the lineup.

Blue skies and sunshine provide the perfect backdrop for this joyous event.

The corner of 16th and Walnut was blessed on   August 19,1928, “amid a huge gathering of parishioners and friends…Due to the economic conditions and the scarcity of the dollar, the exterior shell of the new church was finished with stones from the discarded curbing of the Erie streets,” according to https://stpaulrcerie.org/History.html

The line for the famous Spaghetti Dinner begins to form as everyone looks forward to a delicious meal.

The tables are set and ready! Hat tip to the hard-working volunteers who manage this streamlined dining event.

Spaghetti with meatballs, fresh salad, delicious Italian bread and an ice cream cup are a perfect combination.

Mangia! Everyone digs in while the photographer’s dinner awaits in the lower right hand corner. 😉

Jerry McCumber pauses to say “hello.”

These ladies and their beautiful smiles greeted everyone as they came through the door for the spaghetti dinner.

Holy Cannoli, these dedicated volunteers worked the pastry counter. Both the cream puffs and cannoli were homemade and excellent.

Here’s another volunteer who was dishing out smiles and helping with the dinner.

The Italian Dancers of Erie strike a pose before their performance on Sunday.

This home on W. 16 Street set up this lovely display in celebration of the festivities.

The dancers wave as they proceed to the main festival. Waving at the audience is part of their charm.

The crowd eagerly awaits the dancers’ arrival. Their colorful umbrellas are visible in the foreground as they enter their dancing area.

There’s nothing like the aroma of delicious food cooking to tickle the appetite. These volunteers worked hard to make sure the job got done.

Pastries galore are ready for those with a sweet tooth.

This beautiful image of the Blessed Virgin was situated in the main tent.

Here are two more of the many devoted volunteers who helped people at the Festival.

Lined up and ready to go, the Italian Dancers of Erie carried red, white and green umbrellas this year to keep them safe from the sun and to splash extra colors around.

These dancers await their cue to commence their Sunday show.

Tambourines accented the Italian Dancers’ performance and lent an air of old-country ambiance.

Hat tip to the Italian Dancers of Erie for the great show they offered up!