The Feast of the Madonna Dei Martiri returns this weekend, with two days of music on Thursday and Friday, Sept. 9 and 10, before the Feast begins on Saturday, Sept. 11, and continues into Sunday, Sept. 12. The Hoboken Italian Festival is a four day festival, but no day is greater than Saturday, the “Feast” day, when the 800 lb. statue of Madonna Dei Martiri or Madonna of the Martyrs is carried through the streets of Hoboken from St. Francis Church, 308 Jefferson St., making it the highlight of the Festival.

This includes a reenactment of the Blessing of the Fleet in the Hudson River, culminating with a fireworks show over Sinatra Park. The Madonna statue is sailed around the Hoboken waterfront on the Hudson River before it is returned to the church.