Our History

Good Italian food, prayer, and family come together each year in August to celebrate Our Lady of Mount Carmel's aid. On July 16, 1892 a terrible, 19 month-long drought ended in Italy. Its end was no ordinary event, though. It came on the Feast Day of Our Lady of Mount Carmel; Mary, the Blessed Mother of Jesus, ensured the answer of her people's prayers for rain. Since 1892, Italians around the world have come to celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in thanksgiving for her help to end this deadly drought.

Enfield's Mount Carmel Club has always reserved the weekend of the first Sunday in August for our own "Festa," an annual gathering of family and friends that gives thanks to the Blessed Mother and celebrates our club's Italian heritage. Starting with a candlelight procession, members of the community pray the Rosary together. Then, as the hard work and fun of cooking and sharing great Italian food, entertainment, and community comes to a close, we all gather at our Chapel to celebrate an outdoor Mass and parade through the old Italian community of Enfield. This annual Feast is the culmination of what it means to be a member of our club: working hard together, sharing good food, and celebrating our heritage and Faith.