That most beloved of North Brooklyn festivals, the Giglio Feast kicks off today. It’s the 120th Annual Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and San Paolino di Nola. It runs from today (7/5) through Monday, July 16, and its epicenter is at North 8th Street and Havemeyer Street. If you’ve never been, we highly recommend the Gilgio lifts, in which crews lift the five-story, three-ton Giglio and carries down Havemeyer Street, pausing to make it “dance” and turn.
There’s a “Capo Parade” at 9AM on “Giglio Sunday” (7/8) with the Dancing of the Giglio and a smaller Boat starting at 1PM. On Wednesday (7/11), there’s a Night Dance of the Giglio starting at 8PM. Sunday (7/15) has a Capo Parade at 1PM and Dancing of the Giglio at 2PM.
For more detail on this uniquely Williamsburg tradition that survives in the face of construction and significant neighborhood change, visit the Giglio Feast Website.
4 responses so far ↓
1 Anonymous // Jul 5, 2007 at 8:39 am
The festival is a fascinating tradition for sure, but it sucks pretty hard if you live right on Havemeyer in the middle of it, as I do. My bedroom window faces the PA system, through which the MC hollers until midnight, and I have to shoo Italians off my doorstep every time I come in and out of the house. For ten days. I don’t begrudge anyone their traditions, but I sure as hell try to go out of town this time of year.
2 Anonymous // Jul 7, 2007 at 7:53 am
in response to annoymous
you chose to move to williamsburg which has always
been a traditional Italian neighborhood with stoop sitting ,church going neighbors observing traditions
you just wanted a generic offshoot of manhattan and you probably moved here from middle america,suburbia usa and now you want to modify traditions tough!!
3 Anonymous // Jul 8, 2007 at 12:48 pm
“shoo Italians”?
I wish i could shoo the midwestern hipsters off the streets!
4 Anonymous // Jul 9, 2007 at 1:11 pm
I think all the newcomers to our neighborhood should take time to get to know their neighbors, who have been making this part of williamsburg their home for centuries. They will find a warm and freindly bunch of people who care for their neighbors’ well being. The festival is the heart of our community, and serves as an anchor for the italian american community of north brooklyn. It is a tradition that welcomes people from all walks of life. Try to enjoy where you live, our culture is infectious! And one word of advice- “Shooing Italians had never had nor ever will have any possibility of success!”