Tradition reigns at the Feast of the Three Saints even when organizers slide changes into the three-day festival, summer’s last hurrah in Lawrence, MA, the Immigrant City. Take this year, the 101st Feast, it starts on Friday, the start of the Labor Day weekend, as it always does, at City Hall’s steps with opening remarks, flags and a parade.

But the Feast’s former secondary band, the Italian-American Marching Band, is now elevated to primary. Its drums, woodwinds and horns will play anthems and lead the 6 p.m. procession over a quarter-mile of Common Street to the St. Alfio Society.