The St. Nicholas of Tolentine Italian Festival will bring a procession of saint statues, Italian food and a full afternoon of music and dancing to the 1700 block of South 9th Street on Sunday, Oct. 4.

The free festival runs from noon-8 p.m. Food and drinks will be sold separately throughout the day.

The celebration starts at noon with a religious procession through the neighborhood. Statues representing Catholic saints will be carried through the streets while the Verdi Band plays traditional Italian marches.

The tradition reaches back more than a century. Italian immigrants established St. Nicholas of Tolentine Parish in 1912, and the current version of the festival began in 1987 during the parish’s 75th anniversary.

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After the procession, the focus shifts to food. You’ll find porchetta and meatball sandwiches, arancini, pasta and gravy, sausage and peppers, broccoli rabe, eggplant rollata, escarole and beans, tripe, pizza, cannoli and other Italian desserts. The Kitchen Consigliere, Termini Bros Bakery and Del Buono Bakery are among the participating vendors. Beer, wine and cordials will also be available.

Music runs throughout the afternoon. DJ Spanky Brown will host the festival, followed by Philadelphia singer Matthew Maisano at 1 p.m. and the Vivaci Dancers at 1:30 p.m.

At 2 p.m., Jenna Esposito, Steve Ritrovato and the City Rhythm Orchestra will perform songs from the Italian American songbook. Accordionist Nick Desiderio takes the stage at 3:30 p.m., followed by the Quaker City String Band at 4:30 p.m.

The New York Tenors, featuring Andy Cooney, Daniel Rodriguez and Christopher Macchio, will perform at 5 p.m. DJ Bob Kelly follows at 6 p.m., and the festival closes with City Rhythm’s “Sound of Philadelphia Dance Party” at 7 p.m.

If you’re bringing children, the festival also will have rides, face painting, games and sand art.

Sunday, Oct. 4 | Noon-8 p.m.
1700 block of South 9th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19148
Free admission; Food & drinks are pay as you go
Rain date: Sunday, Oct. 11

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