August 17, 2013 — In the North End, tradition runs deep. For Kenny Palazzolo it goes back four generations, to the 1930s when his great-grandfather left Sciacca, a fishermen’s town on the southwestern coast of Sicily, for Boston.
Tradition means the 41-year-old gives up two weeks of work every August to help run the Fisherman’s Feast, the storied event honoring the Madonna del Soccorso di Sciacca.
She is Sciacca’s patron, the woman the town’s fishermen pray to before venturing out to sea. This year marks the 103d time the feast has been held in Boston.
“As far back as my recollection goes, the Madonna was there,” he said, a gold charm of the Madonna around his neck. “It is in our blood. We do this out of love for her.”
So while there are fresh clams and Italian sausage and torrone desserts that lure tourists by the thousands, for the families with ties to Sciacca, this is a weekend to hand down old traditions to new generations.
For Warren Mustacchio, the feast is also a chance to remember the way the North End used to be, before rents rose and upscale restaurants moved in.
He was born and raised in the neighborhood, and for the last 30 years he has run a stand, selling beef braciola and other Italian delicacies.
Families that left for the suburbs return to the old neighborhood for the feast. Mustacchio’s North End home is full of visiting friends and relatives.
Read the full story at The Boston Globe