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OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL Festival returns with new fun
By GUY D’ASTOLFO
The Our Lady of Mount Carmel Italian Festival prides itself on keeping it all Italian but surprisingly has never had a morra tournament. Until now, that is.
The inaugural Italo Antonini Memorial morra tournament will take place tonight at 6 p.m. at the festival, which is on the parish grounds at 343 Via Mount Carmel, near Choffin Career Center.
Morra is the Italian game in which players hold out fingers and shout out their guess of how many fingers will be shown. The game usually draws a crowd, with players shouting numbers in Italian.
Italo Antonini was a member of the festival committee until he recently passed away.
“That’s why we decided to start the tournament,” said Frank Frattaroli, festival director. “So far there are 12 teams entered, and we are expecting a few more.”
The festival will open tonight and run through Sunday.
Admission is $4.
The Little Prince and Princess pageants also will be tonight at 7 p.m. in the social hall.
As always, the OLMC festival will include quite a few food vendors serving Italian foods. New this year will be Guy’s BBQ.
“We keep it pretty much the same every year,” said Frattaroli. “The same vendors keep coming back.”
One small addition this year will be Tom Phoolery, a magician who will entertain children in the kids area this year at 7 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday.
“He will walk around doing tricks for the kids,” said Frattaroli.
Jim Tressel, president of Youngstown State University, will be one of the speakers at the opening ceremony at 7 p.m. Friday in the social hall. Three $1,000 scholarships to YSU will be awarded at the ceremony to Daniel Cipriano, James Hungerford and Scott Williams.
“Since the festival began, we have given out about $29,000 in scholarship funds,” said Frattaroli.
The Man of the Year, John Mascardine, and Woman of the Year, Philomena Conti, also will be awarded at the opening ceremony. The Lifetime Achievement awards will be presented posthumously to Alex Palombo and Nick Petrarca.
In addition to a full slate of Italian entertainers and vendors, a major attraction of the OLMC festival is the basket auction, which is currently up to 290 gifts up for grabs.
“It’s always a big attraction,” said Frattaroli.
As always, there will be free parking, with shuttle service, at lots in the vicinity, including United Way, St. Cyril & Methodius Church, IBM Building, Levinson Tire and the YMCA.