Hoboken’s St. Ann’s Italian Festival is back for its 113th year. This year, the feast will take place from Friday, July 21st through Wednesday, July 26th at 704 Jefferson Street in Hoboken and feature food, music, kiddie rides, a beer garden, and of course — zeppoles. Read on for what we know about the 2023 St. Ann Italian Festival in Hoboken, including schedule of events, and more.
^the infamous zeppoles from St. Ann’s feast
History of St. Ann’s Festival
Hoboken has a thriving Italian population. Many who reside here descended from immigrants who came over from San Giacomo, a province of Salerno, Italy which was named after St. James the Apostle. A wave of immigrants came to Hoboken from Italy in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
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Though a lot of time has passed since this wave, many locals still feel connected to and celebrate the spirit of Italy — and this desire to remain connected dates back to the early 1900s.
To uphold these religious and traditional values, the San Giacomese Hobokenites established the St. Ann’s Society, a group that advocates for the values of their home village. The construction of their church was a success, and to honor this, the St. Ann’s Society decided to host a grand feast in honor of St. Ann and the traditions of the San Giacomese.
Members even went door to door around Hoboken to collect the funds for this celebratory feast, and in July of 1910, they reached their fundraising goal, and the festival was born. Fast forward over a hundred years, and St Ann’s Feast is still being celebrated by Hobokenites with many of the same foods and traditions unchanged.
2023 Festival Dates, Times, + Events
The St. Ann’s Italian Festival will be held on Friday, July 21st through Wednesday, July 26th, 2023 at 704 Jefferson Street in Hoboken.
Hours for 2023 are as follows:
Friday, July 21 6:00PM – 11:00PM
Saturday, July 22 1:00PM – 11:00PM
Sunday, July 23 1:00PM- 11:00PM
Monday, July 24 6:00PM – 11:00PM
Tuesday, July 25 6:00PM – 11:00PM
Wednesday, July 26 1:00PM – 11:00PM
Visitors can expect to see Zeppoles, cheesesteaks, rice balls, wood-fired pizza, fried calamari, seafood salad, and more. There will also be a beer garden and live music for everyone to enjoy. There will also be the Grand 50/50 raffle as well as the Nightly 50/50 available.
See More: A List of Must-Try Pasta Spots in Essex County
The nine-day novena, nine days of prayer, runs from Monday, July 17th to Wednesday, July 26th. The feast day mass will be on Wednesday, July 26th followed by the Procession of St. Ann through the streets of Hoboken.
Stay updated with the 2023 St. Ann Italian Festival on the website, Instagram, and Facebook.
