La Banda Rossa: August 10, 2013 - Saint Marianne Street Dedication Utica, NY

Saint Marianne Cope is the home Saint of St. Joseph & St. Patrick Church in Utica, NY.

La Banda Rossa was lined up on the sidewalk and ready to perform as the 4:00pm Mass ended and the parishioners exited the Church.

We started with Marcia Reale followed by a stirring march as we played in one of our shortest processions ever.

We followed Father Dellos and his congregation from the Church steps to the corner of Columbia Street and Varick Street (the last few moments this portion of the street would have this name).

The street sign was draped with a royal blue cloth and there was a spray of flowers tied to the pole.

A podium was setup at the curb along with television cameras as everyone gathered around to watch Utica’s Mayor Palmieri officially proclaim a name change of one block of Varick Street to Saint Marianne Way.

He then pulled the ribbon and the cloth fell away revealing the new sign as cheers went up from the crowd.

Father Dellos then blessed the new sign with Holy Water as he prayed that anyone who walked or drove down the new way would be blessed by Saint Marianne.

He then instructed everyone to follow La Banda Rossa to the Church parking lot for an evening of food, music, and fun.

Playing the Mother Marianne Hymn as we processed down the street – La Banda Rossa became the very first to officially walk down Saint Marianne Way.

We marched to the front of the bandstand and Arlene conducted our Italian band for a few more songs before turning the festivities over to Irish dancers, German Edelweiss dancers, and the Blues Brothers – making for a very ethnic evening.