Amid Heat, 112th St. Ann's Italian Festival Starts Friday In Hoboken

HOBOKEN, NJ — The five-day St. Ann's Italian Festival, one of Hoboken's most loved annual events, returns Friday with a beer garden to slake your thirst, as well as the usual Italian sausages, DJ's, games of chance, and famous fried zeppoles.

The festival will kick off with temperatures as high as 94. But the fest runs until 11 p.m. each night, so it's bound to be cool.

The event, celebrating the patron saint of women and fertility, takes place at Seventh and Jefferson streets near the massive St. Ann's Church.

"The Feast" drew Frank Sinatra back to town in 1984 while campaigning with Pres. Ronald Reagan.

The Schedule

The St. Ann's Church website says the festival will run 6-11 p.m. the first night. Check the website for updates. As of now:

• Friday: 6-11 p.m.
• Saturday: 1-11 p.m.
• Sunday: 1-11 p.m.
• Monday: 6-11 p.m.
• Tuesday: Feast Day Mass and then procession start at 11 a.m.; Festival: 1-11 p.m.

The feast was skipped in 2020 during the height of the COVID pandemic, then returned last year with some food, games, and entertainment.

At the end, a 600-pound statue of St. Ann, the patron saint of women and fertility, is carried through the streets of Hoboken, as is tradition. This year, the procession will occur the morning of the last day of the festival, after 11 a.m. Mass on Tuesday, July 26.

History Of The Festival

Immigrants from San Giacomo, Italy arrived in Hoboken and founded the St. Ann’s Society
around the turn of the last century. They finished building the church in 1906 and began holding the annual festival in 1910.

The events include the Novena (nine days of prayer and worship) for St. Ann, the Mother of Mary and grandmother of Jesus. The church holds services to bless those groups.

See photos from the 2021 St. Ann's festival here.

Updated 2022 Information: Volunteering, Services, More

Instagram: St. Ann's
Volunteering, services, and festival hours: www.StAnnHoboken.com/feast