Rain curtailed attendance at Youngstown Italian Fest's polka Mass

YOUNGSTOWN

People gathered across six downtown blocks this weekend for the 29th annual Greater Youngstown Italian Fest, which continues from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday.

The three-day festival in Central Square, featuring amusement rides, more than 40 food vendors and more than two-dozen craft vendors, ends Sunday.

“This fest has grown to be one of the larger fests, certainly regionally, and drawing over 40,000 people through their gates. It brings everybody back to heritage, tradition, great food and great entertainment,” said Linda Macala, director of the Mahoning County Convention and Visitors’ Bureau, which promotes the festival.

One of the notable events at the festival on this afternoon was the polka Mass, featuring the Jack Vasko Orchestra.

“There’s clapping and there’s more rejoicing,” and the polka Mass is “livelier” than other Masses, said Terry Esarco of Youngstown, who annually attends the festival.

“You blend a lot of Roman Catholic spirituality and the fun and entertainment,” John Rossetti, festival chairman, said of the polka Mass, which typically draws about 1,500 people.

However, intermittent, scattered rain reduced Saturday afternoon’s attendance and cut polka Mass attendance under the main tent to fewer than 100.

“People just like the ethnic flavor of the music. It’s something different, yet it’s still very much liturgical music. It’s all hymns, but put to the polka tunes,” said the Rev. Michael Swierz, who conducted the polka Mass. Father Swierz is president of St. Joseph the Provider School at St. Anthony’s Parish in Brier Hill.

Anytime that people get together, especially to pray and to celebrate their ethnic culture, it’s just something special that lifts them up and makes them feel happy and good about who they are,” Father Swierz said.

Events scheduled for Sunday on the main stage include a noon Mass, also conducted by Father Swierz, with a procession of the Madonna statue through the festival grounds, led by the Lowellville Band; a 1 p.m. Lowellville Band performance; a 2:45 p.m. Little King and Queen contest and a 4:30 p.m. performance by the Avanti Band.

The festival’s headliner, Franco Corso, an Italian-born tenor, will sing for 75 minutes beginning at 7 p.m. on the main stage, followed by Dominic Tocco and Brotherhood at 8:45 p.m. and a grand raffle drawing at 10:30 p.m.

Read more about the event in Sunday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.