St. Ann

Food festival announced

Due to pandemic restrictions on gatherings, the annual St. Ann’s Fall Fest will be replaced this year by monthly drive-by, takeout sales of favorite fall fest foods.

Fall Fest at St. Ann Church, 415 S. Sixth Street, Emmaus, is normally a three evening event held the weekend after Labor Day. It has been held for 37 consecutive years.

Due to the restrictions on the size of gatherings and the concerns about protection for the many volunteers, organizers decided to change from one big crowded event to a series of monthly events.

For the autumn months, there will be one-day sales of food favorites. In September halupkis, a meat stuffed cabbage roll, will be featured. Orders for halupkis must be received by Aug. 22 and pickup is 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 19.

Future selections include sausage sandwiches, potato pancakes, clam chowder and homemade baked goods all made by the same volunteers who prepare foods for the fall festival.

Orders will be available through the parish website www.churchstann.org or through the St Ann’s Fall Fest Facebook Page.

The food will be available for takeout in a social distant, drive-by arrangement in the church parking lot off South Fifth Street.

Over the winter the committee plans to hold a series of themed basket auctions and food sales will resume in the spring.

The first St. Ann’s Fall Fest was held in 1983 and offered Slovak ethnic foods, a beer garden and free live music, usually for polka dancing. The event grew to include carnival rides and a larger variety of festival food booths to form a food court with table seating.

Approximately 300 volunteers, mostly but not all parishioners, make the event happen.