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It was that kind
of summer night. The air was thick and dense, too much humidity and too many
bodies. It felt darker than it really was, late July clouds hung heavy in the
sky, oppressive with tangible heat.
But people were
out in droves, flocking to the bright lights, delicious smells, and pulsing
sounds of live music and carnival games. Lit arches of red, green and white
welcomed them to Saint Ann’s Annual Italian Festival, celebrating the patron saint of Saint Ann Church, one of Hoboken’s many churches. This year the feast ran from July 23 until July 27.
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Yells of vendors
hawking their wares—deep friend Oreos, oozing with warmth and grease; Italian
sausage and peppers overfilling long rolls; crunchy, sticky, sweet fresh-popped kettle corn— echoed through the night sky. Teens
shouted at the top of their voices, enticing kids and adults alike to play
games to try to win itchy stuffed animals in an array of neon colors. The music
pulsed as the performers belted out covers of familiar songs to create even
more of a stir.
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But the food—
sizzles of fresh sausage, other tasty meats and corn cakes alive with stretchy
mozzarella hitting the massive steaming flattops, reverberated with the
background sounds emanating from the throng and the temporary stage opposite
the large Catholic church. Powdered sugar dusted the faces of the hungry
and satisfied, lingering reminders of the ever-popular zeppole, hot fried dough
served in a brown bag the grows translucent from grease and time. Paper plates
wobbled in hand as people navigated the multitude, searching for friends or
food. Hot dogs dished out from a food truck were gleaming under the yellow glow
of street lights and beaming smiles, and funnel cake fingers searched for dirty
money in hidden wallets while waiting in line for even more deliciousness.
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Saint Ann
watched and participated in the feast through laughs and heartbeats.
Saint Ann, the
mother of the Virgin Mary, is the patron of unmarried women, childless couples,
mothers, housewives, pregnancy, women in labor, and grandmothers. In Hoboken
she is honored with a ‘novena,’ a nine-day period of intense prayer and
reverence for the important saint. The novena culminates with the procession of
the adorned statue of Saint Ann. This 600-pound statue is carried through the
streets, decorated with jewelry and pendants representing prayers,
wishes and the deepest of hopes.
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Saint Ann’s Festival is a staple in Hoboken, bringing memories and moments that people across
generations look forward to and hold on to. It is nights of fun and
remembrance, fried food and prayers, reconnecting and good times.
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