Parish leaders kept traditions alive during the 136th annual Our Lady of Mount Carmel Feast.
Photo courtesy of John Quaglione
A Williamsburg parish officially began the 136th annual Our Lady of Mount Carmel Feast, a street festival full of Italian eats, music and games, with an opening mass and processional on July 5.
The 12-day festival, which dates back to 1887, celebrates Italian culture and tradition with tons of vendors selling authentic cuisine and sweet treats, games and more.
John Notaro, general festival chair, said the origins of the feast and special segment known as the Dancing of the Giglio began when Italian immigrants moved to Brooklyn and began introducing their traditions to the neighborhood.
Notaro said the event has stood the test of time and has managed to uphold its tradition despite the demographic of the neighborhood changing over the years.
“The nice thing about our feast is as much as it is embedded in tradition and history and that tradition is honored in all that we do, as Williamsburg in Brooklyn has changed, the feast is still here. It’s still going strong and is still available for everyone to be a part of,” he said.
One of the most famous parts of the fête is the lifting of a seven-story structure called the Giglio, which is decorated with flowers and the image of St. Paulinus. A twelve-piece brass band and a singer stand on a platform at the bottom of the statue.
Throughout the festival the Giglio — brass band and all — is lifted by a group of 112 dancing men. At the start of each lift, the men sing the official song of the festival, “O Giglio e Paradiso.”
“It’s a celebration of life in both how we celebrate our faith and how we celebrate our tradition and culture,” Notaro said.
Accompanying the Giglio is a massive ship, also carried by a group of men and decked out with decorations, musicians, and a singer.
Monsignor Jamie Gigantiello, pastor of the Our Lady of Mount…
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