St. Ann Festival Kicks Off In Hoboken Thursday

HOBOKEN, NJ — The popular St. Ann's Festival in Hoboken kicks off Thursday, with five full days of food, music, and games.

This year, the event will not have live bands, according to the organizers, but will have music each day. The statue of St. Ann will be carried through the streets next Monday morning (see schedule below). The organizers said the decision to avoid live bands was mandated by the city.

"No bands but there will be music playing during the feast," responded the organizers on Facebook, in response to a resident's question. "PS: mandated by the city not the parish."

"On my way there from Florida!!!!!!" wrote a fan on the Festival's Instagram page last week.

The Italian festival is popular enough that it has been mentioned in national travel guides and was visited by Frank Sinatra with Pres. Ronald Reagan in 1984 during Reagan's re-election campaign. (You can watch Reagan's remarks in this video or read a transcript and see a photo here.)

The festival celebrates St. Ann, the patron saint of women and fertility. The Feast on the last day culminates with a traditional procession in which a 600-pound statue of St. Ann is carried through the streets of Hoboken. This year, the procession is scheduled for next Monday after 11 a.m. mass.

Hours And Details

The 109th festival took place in July of 2019 (see photos here). In 2020, the church held the traditional Mass, but not the festival.

The festival occurs at Seventh and Jefferson streets the location of the Church of St. Ann (pictured above).

This Year, These Are The Hours:

• Thursday and Friday: 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.
• Saturday and Sunday: 1 p.m. to 11 p.m.
• Monday: Festival 1 p.m. to 11 p.m.; Mass: 11 a.m. Followed by Procession

Here Are More Details:

Hours and how to get involved, on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CR...

The church's webpage gives details of services: www.StAnnHoboken.com/feast

Here is the festival Facebook page.

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