It's time for the St. Patrick's Fall Festival!

An event that locals have looked forward to each year for well beyond fifty years is back. St. Patrick's Fall Festival swings into motion this Sunday, November 5, 2023 from 11am until 2pm.

Everybody looks forward to seeing old friends, catching up on community tid-bits and the crossing of fingers, hoping to hear your name called as winner of a spectacular prize in the raffle. But truth be told, when one firsts hears "the festival is back", it's the thought of the dinner ahead that makes a mouth water.

The love and dedication behind the scenes of this annual feast can not go unnoticed. Preparation begins early on, with pounds upon pounds of cabbage being shredded and turned into a slaw earning high marks, especially its flavor and texture. Twenty, 20-pound turkeys are roasted to golden perfection, potatoes peeled, and the stuffing is lovingly created from scratch. That gravy that may have been taken for granted before was started from original bone broth and turkey juices at five o'clock in the morning. Homemade pies round out the meal as well as the tummy. People in the community come from all over to help pull off this once-a-year masterpiece. Organizer Julie Gehrig remarked on the yearly feat, saying, "The whole parish comes together. People from A to Z bring in one kind of a donation or another. You know the saying 'It takes a village'? Well for this fall dinner, it takes a Parish".

Once a body's craving for turkey has been sated, the activities and fun to be enjoyed are plentiful. Door prizes will be announced once an hour, there is a cake walk, bingo, and a silent auction with many items donated by local people and places of business. The highlight of the afternoon is the raffle where a few lucky winners will go home with prizes like a 50" 4k smart TV donated by The Knights of Columbus, a $250 gift certificate from Sonny's Super Foods, a gas BBQ grill, or some lovely wall art donated by Sutton Home Gallery.

People of all faiths and walks of life are warmly welcome to this celebration of community. Please call 254-2828 for more information.