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The Rev. Ron Cellini, a Catholic priest who grew up locally but now has a parish in South Carolina, comes home every year for San Rocco. "We have this attraction to our community just like the swallows that return every year to Capistrano and the salmon that swim upstream in the Northwest," he says. "Now we come back to Aliquippa to remember who we are - and to tie into our community again."

Dave Colonna, whose great-grandfather was one of the 1925 festival founders, was co-chairman in 2004. He knows how important this tradition has become. "In Aliquippa," says Colonna, "there's three major events. You have Easter, you have Christmas, you have San Rocco."

The traditional procession of San Rocco, with a statue of the saint carried through the crowd. Bishop Donald Wuerl and other local clergy lead the way.

What to Expect This Year
Nowadays San Rocco is a three-day affair that starts on Friday evening at Lefty Cepull Field, along Main Street in the old Plan 12 neighborhood. A beer stand is set up in one corner of the field for guests 21 and older. There will be two stages and countless booths, including those that sell authentic homemade Italian food. Guests can play games of chance, reminisce over old pictures, laugh and meet new friends. Treats such as chiambellis (sweet Italian breads that resemble doughnuts) are available during the festival and are often among the favorites of guests.

On Saturday evening, the carnival at Cepull Field draws families from around the region. People can be seen eating, winning prizes and carrying balloons - all in typical carnival style. Teenagers hang out near the entrance gate, flirting, worrying about the end of summer, already excited about the impending high school football season. And onstage around 9:30, the Ballabe Band begins to play and the fireworks start. A special musical act often tops off the evening's festivities.

On Sunday, the San Rocco banner is taken to St. Titus Church on Franklin Avenue, where at 9:30 a.m. there's a standing-room-only Mass. The banner features a painting of the saint, framed with strips of fabric, and as the day goes on, people pin money to the strips, which are then donated to local charities. The banner and a statue of San Rocco are paraded into the church, followed by local families with homemade family banners that honor grandparents and great-grandparents. After Mass, firecrackers explode, and everyone shouts, "Viva San Rocco!"

For the procession, folks gather at the intersection of Polk and Division streets in the nearby neighborhood of Sheffield Terrace. Young girls in communion dresses climb into convertibles. Slowly, a procession forms with people following the banner and statue, held by men in white robes - some former altar boys from St. Titus. More firecrackers erupt as a salute, and again people shout, "Viva San Rocco!"

It's a friendly, easy-going parade. Teenagers, grandparents, politicians, local merchants and trucks full of kids all join the procession. The entire line stops when someone wants to pin money onto the banner.

At the end of the long march, the festivities stop for several hours so guests can go home, nap, have Sunday dinner and regroup for the final Sunday-night party.

That evening, everybody heads back to Lefty Cepull Field for closing ceremonies. The real draw of the evening is the traditional Doll Dance: At about 10:30, people in the crowd wave small Italian flags, while puppetlike figures in traditional Italian peasant dress dance, the band plays and fireworks are set off. The figures whirl and spin, slowly and awkwardly at times, while explosions surround them. The event looks and feels ancient and pagan, and it's just one more surprising aspect of this weekend. Indeed, the weekend is one of wonder and awe that pleases guests of all ages as they reconnect with the past.

Pittsburgh documentary-maker Rick Sebak has been celebrating the charms of Southwestern Pennsylvania on WQED tv13 since 1987. His video story about Aliquippa's San Rocco Festival is part of the program titled "It's the Neighborhoods," available on DVD and VHS.
VISIT ALIQUIPPA AT THE "IT'S THE NEIGHBORHOODS" WEBSITE!

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