St. Donatus Feast And Carnival Returns To Blue Island

BLUE ISLAND, IL — One of the last, great traditional religious fests is happening now in Blue Island. The 116th St. Donatus Feast and Carnival returns for four fabulous days, Aug. 5 through Aug. 8, at 1939 Union Street, featuring rides, games, bingo and live music.

The Feast of St. Donatus, which opened Wednesday, includes the traditional street festival all this week, so there are still plenty of days left to enjoy this late summer parish carnival. On Sunday, the final day of the feast and carnival, St. Donatus will be celebrated with a procession and Mass, accompanied by the Italian festival band Caliendo's Banda Napoletana.

Dine on clams, fried dough, beef and sausage, sandwiches Italian ice, and St. Donatus’s famous pizza. There is also an extensive selection of Mexican cuisine.

Don’t know if mega passes offering unlimited rides throughout are still available, but they were selling for $50. Unlimited ride tickets will be offered from 6 to 11 p.m. Thursday, and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday for $25.

Tickets to a giant raffle with cash prizes of $1,000, $2,000 and $5,000 will be available until Sunday’s drawing.

Feast and carnival hours are 5:30 to 11 p.m., Thursday and Friday, Aug. 5 to Aug. 6;
4 to midnight, Saturday, Aug. 7; and 1 to 11 p.m. (Mass and procession 10 a.m.) Sunday, Aug. 8.

Live entertainment is featured nightly in the beer garden:

Thursday, Aug. 5 - The Righteous Hillbillies, 6 to 10 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 6 - Cadillac Groove, 7 to 11:30 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 7 - The Band Sundance, 4 to midnight
Sunday, Aug. 8 - Kashmir (Led Zeppelin Tribute), 1 to 5 p.m.

For more information about the St. Donatus Feast and Festival, call 708-385-2890.