DUNMORE, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Who doesn’t love bazaar food and Italian food? Judging by a crowd this weekend in Dunmore, no one!
Saints Anthony and Rocco Parish held their Annual Italian Food Festival. The favorite local event returned to Dunmore this weekend for another successful year.
This was also the first year Our Lady of Mount Carmel consolidated with the parish, so the turnout was bigger than ever.
“It’s great. We do this every year,” said parishioner Maryjo Amendolaro.
Saints Anthony and Rocco Parish held their Annual Italian Parish Festival this weekend.
For many people like Amendolaro, the festival is a family affair.
“My whole family comes. My niece, my nephew, my brother, cousins they all work at the stand,” Amendolaro explained.
Amendolaro says her family actually introduced their stand to the festival.
“We do lemonade cotton candy, candy apples,” Amendolaro said.
There were also snow cones available.
“We’ve been doing it about 13 years now,” said Amendolaro.
People of all ages help make the festival happen.
“It’s nice to help work,” said parishioner Nora Desantis.
The festival gives the community of Dunmore the opportunity to come together and enjoy a weekend full of good food, faith, and good friends.
Church officials say these kinds of events are more important than ever for people of faith in the Dunmore area.
“There were five parishes in Dunmore, now there’s two and eventually there might be just one parish, but with several worship sites, several churches staying open. So it’s important that we get everyone together to build a sense of community and that’s what’s happening this weekend,” said Father Dave Capelloni of Saint Anthony & Rocco and Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
The festival this weekend capped off with a firework celebration Sunday night.