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Peekskill Festa Italiana: This Weekend's Events

by Art Cusano

PEEKSKILL, N.Y. – The Festa Italiana street festival will return to Brown Street this weekend.

The event is held as part of the Catholic Church's Feast of the Assumption, when Catholics commemorate Mary's being taken to heaven, body and soul. Peekskill's Church of the Assumption plays a large part in the event, which will be celebrating its third year.

Organizer Frank Cimino said all the things that made the event great in the two previous years will be back: Food vendors, games of chance, rides and plenty of live music.

"Every year we've been building on the last," Cimino said. "We should be getting about 30,000 people this year if the weather holds up."

There will be live music throughout the weekend, including Doug Ferony and Daisy Jopling as well as the Carrozza Brothers, Westchester's favorite Italian wedding band.

"We try to make it family-friendly fun," Cimino said.

Friday, Aug. 10

5 – 6 p.m. – Festival opens / live Italian music.

6 – 7 p.m. – Opening ceremony:

  • Boy Scout Color Guard
  • American and Italian national anthems
  • Blessing by Church of the Assumption’s Rev. John Higgins
  • Greeting by Peekskill Mayor Mary Foster
  • Greeting by the Italian Consulate
  • Presentation of the Distinguished Italian Citizen award

7 – 8 p.m. – Doug Ferony (Frank Sinatra tribute / big band).

8 – 9 p.m. – Live Italian music.

9 – 11 p.m. – Sugarush (top 40 hits and classic disco).

Saturday, Aug. 11

Noon – 12:30 p.m. – Festival opens / live Italian music.

12:30 – 1:30 p.m. – Backlash (classic rock).

1:30 – 2:30 p.m. – Live Italian music.

3 – 5 p.m. – Carrozza Brothers (Italian wedding band).

5:15 – 5:45 p.m. – Scarlet Antonio – Italian stage dance.

6 – 8 p.m. – Carrozza Brothers (Italian wedding band).

9 – 11 p.m. – Sugarush (top 40 radio and classic disco).

Miss Festa Italiana Pageant: Actor Louis Vanaria, who has appeared in movies and television programs including "A Bronx Tale," "Don’t Say a Word," "Stiffs" and "Kirk," will host the festival's first-ever pageant. The festival committee will crown its first Italian Festival Queen at the Miss Festa Italiana at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the Peekskill Elks Club lodge on Brown Street.

Sunday, Aug. 12

Noon – 1 p.m. – Festival opens / live Italian music.

Noon – 1 p.m. – Mass at the Church of the Assumption.

1 – 2 p.m. – Feast of the Assumption procession (No alcohol served during procession).

2:30 – 3:45 p.m. – Time Machine – (classic rock / dance).

4 – 4:45 p.m. – Gene DiNapoli (Elvis Presley tribute).

5 – 5:15 p.m. – 50-50 church raffle drawing and special announcements.

5:15 – 5:45 p.m. – Scarlet Antonia on stage (Italian dance).

6 – 7 p.m. – Dennis Dell (hits from yesterday and today).

7 – p.m. – Daisy Jopling (violinist / rock).

8 – p.m. – Live Italian music.

Street Performers: Saturday and Sunday between 2 and 5 p.m. Performers will include custom characters, stilt walkers, balloon makers, clowns and face painters.

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