One of the largest Italian festivals is coming back to NJ

Hoboken’s St. Ann Festival, one of the oldest and largest Italian-American festivals, is returning in July.

According to Hoboken Girl, the 113-year-old festival will be held from Friday, July 21 through Wednesday, July 26. It celebrates St. Ann, the mother of Mary, the mother of Jesus.

After a wave of immigrants from San Giacomo, Italy, came to Hoboken, they started the St. Ann’s Society and raised the money to build St. Ann’s Catholic Church. After completion of the church, they held a festival to honor their patron saint, and a tradition was born.

The festival has grown over the decades, and while the Italian American population doesn’t make up as large of a percentage as it used to, people of all religions and ethnicities enjoy the party.

There is still a strong religious component, however; there are Novena Masses said from July 17 - 26, and the festival ends with a mass and the procession of the 600-pound statue of St. Ann through the streets of Hoboken.

From the St. Ann’s website:

Saint Ann is a wonderful intercessor. She is our Blessed Mother's Mom and Jesus' grandmother! She is the patron saint of unmarried women, women in labor, grandmothers, childless people and the poor.

Since the festival has Italian roots, of course there is a lot of Italian food. Some of the highlights include:

our famous zeppole, cheesesteaks, rice balls, wood-fired pizza, fried calamari, and seafood salad, etc. Oh, and there’s a beer garden, too.

In addition to the food, there are rides and games for the kids, various vendors, and a 50/50 raffle every night, and one large 50/50 raffle at the end of the festival.

The festival takes place on Jefferson St. in Hoboken.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Doyle only.

You can now listen to Deminski & Doyle — On Demand! Hear New Jersey’s favorite afternoon radio show any day of the week. Download the Deminski & Doyle show wherever you get podcasts, on our free app, or listen right now.

Click here to contact an editor about feedback or a correction for this story.