Saint Faustina Parish Festival, June 22-24

Growing up in a city with numerous Catholic churches meant numerous church bazaars and parish festivals throughout the Summer. My parish, St. Mary's, had one of the last of the year, on the last weekend in July. The large parking lot behind the church and school would be filled  with game stands, a huge area area for selling pierogies and french fries and potato pancakes and beer, a bingo tent, and a stage that at least one night out of the three of the festival would feature a Polka band - usually Stanky and the Coal Miners, led by parish member John Stankovic. That came to an end in 2005, and soon after that St. Mary's was consolidated with all of the other Nanticoke Catholic churches into a single parish, rechristened St, Faustina Kowalska. The primary site for this consolidated parish is the old Holy Trinity church, and, unsurprisingly, the various church bazaars were also consolidated into a single parish festival, held in the same place and at the same time as the Holy Trinity parish festival.

This weekend is that time.

The festival begins today, Friday, June 22, 2018 from 5:00 P.M. to midnight at the Saint Faustina Parish Grove in Sheatown, located at 145 Old Newport Street, behind Guardian Elder Care. Entertainment will be provided by pop rock band Flaxy Morgan.

On Saturday, June 23, 2018 the second day of the festival kicks off with a Polka Mass at 4:00 P.M. at the Saint Faustina Parish Grove, which is apparently very popular (though I have never gone to one) and takes the place of the regularly scheduled 4:00 PM Mass usually held at at the Saint Faustina Main Site. (As of the end of last year, 4:00 PM Saturday Mass is no longer held at the Saint Faustina Secondary Site, the former St. Mary's, where only a single mass is now held at 9:30 AM on Sunday each week.) Music will be supplied by Joe Stanky and the Cadets. The festival itself will begin at 5:00 PM with music provided by country rock band Iron Cowboy, and will run until midnight.

The festival wraps up on Sunday, June 24, 2018, and runs from 4:00 PM to 11:00 PM. Entertainment will be provided by rock band 40lb. Head.