March 19, 2010 - St. Joseph Day Concert Utica, NY

It only takes 2 days to switch from the "Wearin' O' the Green" to "Sportin' the Red" to honor St. Joseph - and this year, The Red Band participated in the celebration by performing on the great stage of the Stanley Theatre.

Cafe CaNole hosted their annual St. Joseph Day Feast - setting up a buffet line along one side of the stage and a pastry shop in display cases on the other side, featuring the special St. Joseph Day pastries - sfinge and zeppole. St. Joseph is the Patron Saint of Pastry Chefs. We were setup at the rear of the stage to provide music while everyone dined.

All across the stage were enough banquet tables to accommodate hundreds of people - and hundreds arrived. As we played most of our Italian repertoire, our audience, dressed primarily in red, started arriving in a steady stream.

During our 2nd half of the concert - the staff started setting up more tables and carrying more chairs across the stage as the buffet line got longer and longer, stretching from one side of the stage across the front to the other side.

The tradition of the St. Joseph Day table started in the Middle Ages when the people of Sicily prayed to their Patron Saint, St. Joseph, to bring them rain during a severe drought to prevent a famine. They promised if he answered their prayers they would prepare a large feast to honor him.

The rain came and the tradition of the feast continues.

What a wonderful turn-out to share the Italian Heritage at this St. Joseph's Table on his Feast Day.

VIVA LA BANDA ROSSA!!

Please click on the link below for photos
St. Joseph Day Concert