When John St. Angelo was seen scurrying across the Holy Angles Church parking lot Saturday afternoon with boxes of pasta in tow, people got the feeling that something special was going on inside the confines of the church hall, where the Italian Food Festival was in progress.

“We ran out of pasta,” proclaimed the longtime Holy Angels Church parishioner and member of the Italian Food Festival committee. “I got to hurry back in there. The kitchen staff is waiting.”

Mr. St. Angelo’s quick response helped set the tone for an evening filled with great expectations, as a large crowd gathered to enjoy some outstanding Italian food, the second year in a row that this revamped event was being held in place of the former carnival type celebration which had been the staple of the church’s Feast of the Assumption for more than 100 years.

Saturday night’s event drew praise from many parishioners, committee workers, and friends.

“The food here is delicious,” said Barrington resident Patricia Shilo, who was about to dig into a sausage and peppers sandwich. “Although I’m not a parishioner here, I do it for the church. It’s a fund-raiser and I like to help out any way I can.”

For veteran Festival worker and parishioner, and retired Barrington Police officer, Joe Pine, the Holy Angels Feast has always been worth his time and effort.

“I really enjoy doing this for the church,” he said. “It’s not like the old days when the Festival was more than one day. That was a grind. It was tough on a lot of the older committee members who worked so hard. Now, it’s only one day. But, we do have other events throughout the year.”

A number of people arrived early to enjoy the smells and taste of Italy at the Italian Food Festival. They sat down in air-conditioned comfort to enjoy everything from pasta e fagioli (pasta and beans), to eggplant parmigiana and stuffed calzones, among other delicacies. There were even plenty of American favorites like hot dogs and hamburgers served up.

In addition, there were other activities that drew plenty of attention, including a number of raffles and children’s novelty items. It was a great night for all, right across the board.

“There was a lot of work to do beforehand,” said Shawn DeHart, committee member, “but in the end, all the committee members are glad we were part of it. We're grateful to everyone who came and purchased raffle tickets, and to all the donors who gave us prizes for our raffles.”

Longtime Festival Committee worker and chairwoman Barbara St. Angelo, like all the other faithful co-workers, did her part to make this event such a great success.

"This was a stellar night," said Ms. St. Angelo. "It was definitely a bigger crowd than last year, and they seemed to enjoy it. We got a lot of a positive feedback."

She added, “We ran out of things like sandwich rolls, meatballs, calzones, and even French fries. I never remember that ever happening. This was such a great night for everyone.”

On Sunday morning, the religious aspect of the Feast of the Assumption took place at 10:30 Mass, followed by a solemn procession on Maple Avenue and through neighboring streets. Everyone who participated throughout the course of the Festival seemed to get caught up in the spirit of the moment.

“I was so happy to be a part of all of this,” said committee member Judy Pine. “We were so happy it turned out to be an overwhelming success.”