By Rosemary Ford
rford@eagletribune.com
—
The return of Labor Day weekend can only mean one thing in these parts: It's time to party.
Lawrence plays host to three festivals this weekend celebrating international cultures.
Feast of the Three Saints
First up is the 88th Feast of the Three Saints. The St. Alfio Society hosts the three-day event held in honor of brothers Alfio, Cirino and Filadelfo — martyrs who died for their faith nearly 1,800 years ago.
The religious festival has its origins in Sicily, but here in Lawrence it's developed into a celebration of all things Italian.
Starting Friday, there will be a concert with crooner Aaron Caruso at the Main Bandstand, followed by food, flea markets carnival rides and games, more concerts, raffles and more. The festival ends Sunday with a procession of the statues of the saints from their home at Holy Rosary Church around the former Italian neighborhoods.
Mahrajan
Saturday and Sunday the local Lebanese community gets into the act with its annual Mahrajan. What started as a church picnic at St. Anthony Maronite Church has developed into a celebration of all things Arabic.
Attendees can expect some great kibbee, shwarma, rice, grape leaves, as well as Lebanese music and dances, like the tradition dabke.
Bread and Roses Festival
The weekend ends with the Bread and Roses Festival on Monday, from about noon to 6 p.m. on Campagnone Common, across from City Hall. This daylong music festival celebrates Lawrence's Bread and Roses Strike of 1912, when more than 20,000 workers walked out of the city's mills to protest reductions in working hours and pay.
The strike lasted nine weeks before the national attention it drew pressured mill owners to come to the bargaining table and meet employee demands.
As Lawrence's many immigrant communities came together under one cause — a fair wage and workday — so to does this festival celebrate the diverse ethnic components of Lawrence, through music, dance, poetry, drama, ethnic food, historical demonstrations, children's entertainment, and walking and trolley tours.
Feast of the Three Saints
Highlights
FRIDAY:
6 p.m.: Feast opens with procession from City Hall to Holy Rosary Church
8:30 p.m.: Beatlejuice performs Beatles covers at Tripoli stage
9 p.m. Aaron Caruso performs Italian favorites at Main Bandstand, South Union street
SATURDAY
7:30 p.m. Torchlight parade
8:30 p.m.: Afterburner, U.S. Air Force's rock band
SUNDAY:
3 p.m.: Procession of statues
7 p.m.: Benediction in front of St. Alfio Society
For more, visit threesaintsinc.org.
Mahrajan
Hours are: Saturday, from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Highlights: Include DJ Rikon Saturday night and George Maalouf and Ensemble Sunday
Location: St. Anthony Maronite Church, 145 Amesbury St., Lawrence
For more visit st.anthonylawrence.org
Bread and Roses Festival
Highlights:
Bernstein / Main Stage
12:15-1 p.m.: Itchy Feet (Big band jazz)
1:30-2:15: Angkor Dance Troupe
2:20-2:40: Raging Grannies
3:00-3:45: Ten Tumbao
3:50-4: Bread and Roses Hall of Fame Award
4:15-5: Zili Misik
Carmela Teoli
12:30-1:15 p.m.: Nick Vandenberg
1:30-2:15: Tom Juravich
2:30-3:30: Elana Brody
4 -4:45: Fado- Ana Vinagre and her Portuguese Ensemble
Robert Frost Stage (subject to change)
11:45-12:15: Craig Harris
12:20-12:40: Taller Borinqueno
12:45-1:15: Mill City Slam
1:20-1:40: Veronica Robles
1:45-2:25: Henry Lappen
2:30-3: New England Civic Ballet
3:05-3:35: O'Shea Chaplin Irish Dancers
3:40-4: Jasper Som
4:05-4:25 Sons and Daughters of Alexander the Great
Family Activities
Noon-6 p.m. Exhibits on the Common and the Heritage Stage Park Visitor's Center
12:30-3:30: Pony Rides Provided by J & J Ponies of Groveland
1:00-4: Portraits by artist Ed Bray
Noon-4:30: Trolly Tours — free 50 minute tours depart from City Hall every hour and half hour starting at noon (last trolly is at 4:30 p.m.). Get tickets at the Friends of Lawrence Heritage State Park tent.
2:15-5: Walking Tours — of the mill district, focusing on the Strike of 1912, led by Jonas Stundza. Meet at the corner of Common and Jackson Streets at 2:15, 3 and 4 p.m.
Lawrence History Live!
12:20: Ralph Galen, "Introduction"
12:30-1: Frank Palumbo, on his new book, "Through Camella's Eyes—life story of Carmela Teoli"
1-1:30: Steve Thornton, "Bread and Roses in the Thread City: The Impact of Lawrence on Connecticut Textile Workers."
1:30-2: Jonas Stundzia, "How All Forces Came Together for the 1912 strike and the Reason for a Permanent Monument."
2-2:45 p.m.: Unions speak out on their current job actions: SEIU Local 615, Seiu Local 509, Massachusetts Nurses Association & Umass Lowell Union of Adjunct Faculty: UAW Local 1596
2:45-3:15: Tom Juravich, "At the Altar of the Bottom Line: Workers Voices tell about the degradation of work in the 21st century"
3:15-3:45 p.m.: Robert D'Attilio, "On the Lawrence-Sacco and Vanzetti Connection"
3:45-4:15: Ethan Snow, "Looking Foward to the Centennial"
For more visit breadandrosesheritage.org.
