Mamma Mia! St. Bart’s Italian Festival 50/50 Hits $76K, Winner Takes $34K

SCOTCH PLAINS, NJ — That's a lot of dough: One lucky Union County resident walked away from a beloved Scotch Plains Italian Festival tradition with a first-place 50/50 prize worth more than $34,000.

The Super 50/50 at the 52nd annual St. Bartholomew/UNICO Italian Festival reached $76,320 this year, according to information provided to Patch by a festival representative. The first-place winner received 45%, or $34,440.

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Second place received 4%, totaling $3,052.80, while third place received 1%, or $763.20. All three winners were from Union County, the representative said.

The result follows the four-day Italian Festival held over Labor Day weekend in Scotch Plains. The festival benefits St. Bartholomew the Apostle Parish, St. Bartholomew the Apostle Academy and charitable causes supported by the Scotch Plains-Fanwood Chapter of UNICO, according to the representative.

This year marked the 52nd annual festival, a tradition with deep ties to Scotch Plains' Italian heritage and its sister city of Montazzoli, Italy. Many families who immigrated to the United States from Montazzoli in the early 1900s settled in Scotch Plains, according to a festival representative. The festival began as a celebration of St. Nicola di Bari, the patron saint of Montazzoli, the community's Italian heritage and the Aug. 24 feast day of St. Bartholomew.

In the early years, the festival was entirely run by volunteers, with homemade food prepared weeks in advance. A parade through town carried statues of St. Nicola and St. Bartholomew, fireworks ended the night and, instead of today's 50/50, organizers raffled off a car.

The festival now brings in licensed food vendors and holds its parade on the festival grounds, but volunteers remain a major part of the tradition. Volunteers staff the games, beer and wine tents, pastry booth and 50/50 booth throughout the weekend, with some donating their time for the entire festival.

From raffling off a car in its early years to a $76,320 pot today, the festival's prizes may have changed, but the Scotch Plains tradition behind them has carried on for more than five decades.

Have a correction or news tip? Email dani.sepe@patch.com.