It is the one high-rise in Williamsburg that doesn't divide newcomers and old-timers. Thousands of Brooklynites gathered outside Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church on N. Eighth Street on Sunday to watch 125 burly men carry a 80-foot tall, 4-ton tower on their shoulders as part of the annual Giglio Italian Feast.

It is a 113-year-old tradition for Italian-American families in the neighborhood, but participants say plenty of new residents stopped by to check it out — and they were welcomed with open arms. "A lot of first-timers show up, they always ask a lot of questions," said Domenic Varuzza, a native Williamsburger and one of eight "lieutenants" who lead the 125-person team of lifters. "It's great people want to share this."

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Source: http://www.brooklynpaper.com/