The Greater Patchogue Chamber of Commerce Cultural Heritage weekend will resume after a long pause due to the pandemic. The events will begin with a Hispanic Heritage event at the Patchogue Theatre for Performing Arts on Friday, Sept. 17, continue with the St. Liberata Italian Festival and parade on Saturday, Sept. 18, and then end with an Irish run and peace pole and street dedication later this month.
The Hispanic celebration will include constant entertainment, promised organizer and Latino Leadership Council leader Javier Kinghorn.
“It’s going to be a gigantic Hispanic celebration,” he explained, noting everyone is welcome to attend. “This will be all inclusive.”
The event promises diverse entertainment from the entire Latino community, including Puerto Ricans, Salvadorians, Mexicans, Colombians and more. There will be music, dancing and performances as well as dedications and awards.
The event is free and open to the public from 7 to 10 p.m., with an after-party at Gallo. Visit the chamber or Patchogue Theatre websites to reserve tickets. Kinghorn expects over 1,000 to attend.
The very next day, lifelong Patchoguean and village housing inspector Joe Brandi will be honored as the Italian American of the Year during the St. Liberata parade and festival on Main Street at noon. The event will include food, music, activities and craft vendors, as well as a wine walk and bocce ball tournament.
As part of the Irish portion of the celebration, the chamber will be hosting a May the Road Rise to Meet Ye Half Way Half K on Sunday, Sept. 19, to benefit the chamber’s foundation committee. The run kicks off at noon. The St. Patrick’s Day parade, however, will be hosted in March.
In 2020, the chamber announced its 2020 St. Patrick’s Day parade grand marshal as Patchogue Village Business Improvement District executive director Dennis Smith. However, due to several COVID cancellations, the parade had been cancelled twice, with hopes to possibly host a halfway to St. Pat’s Day parade.
That same day, the Jewish community of Temple Beth El plans to host a dedication ceremony for the latest peace pole installation, and Of Colors Creative Collective plans to host a street dedication ceremony on West Avenue for Biz Markie later in the month on Sept. 25, with a time to be announced.
“We are excited to celebrate all the diverse cultures that make Patchogue,” added chamber executive director David Kennedy.
Joe Brandi was given the honor of Italian American of the Year earlier in July at PeraBell. The parade will take place on Sept. 18 on Main Street with food, music, activities and craft vendors, as well as a wine walk and bocce ball tournament.
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