A long-running celebration of Italian life will return to Schenectady this week. St. Anthony’s Fest, a three-day event by Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, resumes Friday for the first time since 2019. “The Festa,” as it's called in the neighborhood, is one of the most popular celebrations in Schenectady. “It’s all about “food, friendship and especially reunion,” the Rev. Matthew H. Frisoni said.

This year marks the 100th inception of the event. The fest features rows packed with local options galore, from stuffed sausage, peppers and homemade pasta, to cavatelli with either broccoli or meatballs. Anna-Marie Forth is a lifelong congregant and has been working with eggplants since she was 16. Lately, folks have been gobbling up scores of the savory violet fruit, she said.