113th Fisherman's Feast celebrates Italian heritage in the North End
BOSTON - A tradition that's been going on for more than 100 years shut down Boston's North End this weekend.
The annual Fisherman's festival held in Boston's predominantly Italian neighborhood brought thousands of guests together to eat, celebrate and remember the area's rich history.
The North End's Fisherman's Feast is 113 years old – started by Sicilian immigrants who brought the tradition to Boston.
"It's cool because I'm all Italian and seeing all different kinds of people come to celebrate, it's awesome. Everybody's having a good time," said John Bationi, who owns Montellio's Pizza On The Go
Historically, the four-day feast blesses town fishermen, beginning with the blessing of the boats and includes the procession of the Madonna through the narrow streets of the North End but that's not the only draw.
"For the Fisherman's Feast, we're always right in this spot," said Bationi.
Foodies like John Bationi attend the feast every year to show off their pizza making skills. While others serve up pounds of pasta and fried treats, that's not the biggest draw to the feast.
"When we see the angel being [carried] across, that's the best part," said one festival visitor.
The feast ends with the Flight of the Angel, a symbol of hope for neighbors and an important role for the young lady tasked with the role that's been passed down through generations.
"Getting ready is super fun," said this year's angel, Gianna Puccio.
The WBZ TV crew got a chance to go behind the scenes leading up to the big moment to talk to the angel as she prepared for the high-flying act.
"I'm going to go on a fire escape and they put me on, it looks like a zipline and I'm in a harness under a dress. And they put me across the people and then I go down and say a whole prayer in Italian," said Puccio.
A moment the crowd anxiously awaits every year and even though, the job of the angel is serious business, Puccio is also making time for a little bit of festival fun.
"Fried Oreos, lemonade and games," says Puccio.
