Big crowd revels in Italian food, friendships at St. Rocco’s Festival
Photos by Tom Rivers
HULBERTON – Volunteers serve up Italian food at the 46th St. Rocco’s Festival today in Hulberton.
A huge crowd didn’t let rain keep them away from the festival in the early afternoon. Many people were lined up at 11, an hour before the festival started.
The popular event served up a variety of Italian food, including a spaghetti dinner, eggplant parmesan, meatball sandwiches, pasta fagioli, pizza and shells.
Tina Burrage shows off a St. Rocco’s shirt. There were also St. Rocco’s hats, Koozies and sun catchers.
The event is a fundraiser benefitting St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Holley. The parish also includes St. Mark’s Church in Kendall.
There were 29 teams competing in a bocce tournament, with teams from the Holley area, Lockport and Rochester. The top team wins $600. Players said the rain actually helped to compact the surface of the courts.
Zach DeLuca competed on a team with his dad Sal, brother Seth and friend Paul Quaranto.
“It’s fun,” Zach said. “We come out and play and see people we grew up with.”
Kevin Lynch, the former Holley mayor, enjoys bocce while smoking a cigar.
Eddie Bower, right, chats with cousin Jake Bower. They competed on a four-person team with Jake’s father Randy and their friend Will Barniak. They compete as “Team Wardo” in memory of Eddie’s father Ed Bower.
Dan Mawn was busy cooking waffles.
Gail Christ puts powered sugar on one of the waffles. She is joined by Ava Barnett, in back, and Ava’s mother, Traci Barnett.
Andrea Newman of Clarendon was among 50 arts and craft vendors. She was selling acrylic paintings, prints and cards. Newman is holding one painting entitled, “Sisterhood 2.”
Eveyln Stryker of Rochester is a knitter. She had many knitted hats and slippers available, including many in Buffalo Bills colors.
