August is feast season in the North End and this weekend is the biggest of them all — the feast of St. Anthony. It’s a time of celebration for locals and visitors alike, but this year is even more special as it is the 100th anniversary of the feast. If you are not familiar with the feast of St. Anthony, it is essentially a weekend festival put on in the streets of the North End, featuring food, music and parades, all in honor of St. Anthony.

Started in 1919 by Italian immigrants, the feast was a means for the people of Montefalcione, Italy, to bring their traditions to their new American home. Today, for those of the Catholic faith, the festival still carries religious significance as there will be holy relics on display throughout. But of course, as anyone who has visited the feast knows, the weekend is welcoming and inclusive of people of all faiths.