IAP 278: How to Revive Your Italian American Feast with the Notorious P.O.B. and the Feast of Madonna del Sacro Monte

May is the month that begins to tease summer, and for those who can't get enough of them, it also signals the start of the Italian American Feast season! In this week's episode, our very own P.O.B. talks about the feast that he lovingly resurrected 11 years ago: The Feast of Madonna del Sacro Monte in Clifton, N.J. To tell the story of this feast, he has invited on several friends: Valerie Cappello, Nick Fedeli, Fran Parisi, and Anthony "Tony Mangia" Scillia, all of whom have in some way lent themselves to his mission to bring this ancient Cilentano celebration back to life. Our guests share how reviving a feast isn't a one-person job but the job of an entire group dedicated to preserving Italian American heritage in one of its most unique manifestations and what drew each of them into this devotion.  We talk about how Italian American feasts are being revived around the country and what our listeners can do if they, too, want to restore one of their own. We also discuss the fine line organizers must walk between recreation and modernization and what roles others in our community can play in making the feast a reborn reality. Join us as we kick off feast season and share the immense passion of this devoted group in this week's inspiring episode! If you would like to donate to the Feast of Madonna del Sacro Monte, donations are greatly appreciated and accepted at this website.