DESPITE fears last year could have seen Swan Hill’s final Festa, a feast of
Italian food, religion and music will be served up this weekend.
With a
smaller organising committee this year, the Catholic celebration kicks off with
masses on Friday night and Sunday morning, before a barbecue lunch and
festivities at the Italian Social club on Sunday afternoon.
In spite of the
fact the event is the work of just eight people, and little outside funding, a
generous crowd is expected.
With smaller means this year, the Italian Festa
committee’s Joe Taverna said a traditional dance on Friday night would not be
held, causing some visitors from Melbourne to cancel, but buses were still
expected from Mildura and Shepparton on Sunday.
“It’s hard to know, but it
could be 200, 300 [people]. Usually we get 400 to 500,” he said.
The event
celebrates The Feast of Our Lady Mount Carmel (Festa Della Madonna Del Monte
Carmelo), a title given to the Virgin Mary in Catholic Christian faith.
For more of this story, see Wednesday’s Guardian (July 17).
