Mount Carmel Festival(s)

OK. How many of the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Festivals can you name? There is the Mount Carmel Festival in Niles, and there is the Mount Carmel Festival in Lowellville, better known as the Lowellville Festival, and there is the Mount Carmel Festival in Youngstown…on Via Mount Carmel overlooking Smokey Hollow, which is THE Mount Carmel Festival. Of course, these are not to be confused with the Italian Festival in Youngstown, or the Italian Festival in Warren, which are not affiliated with churches. Given that the most prominent ethnic minority in the Mahoning Valley are the Italians, one shouldn’t be surprised that there are “festas” all over the place…but c’mon…how much cavetelli can you eat in the space of a few weeks.

Each of the Italian festivals is unique in its own way. The Lowellville Festival is one of my favorites. Lowellville is a world unto itself. Nestled in the valley along the Mahoning River about 8 miles east of Youngstown, this neat and clean little town is Italian through and through. The houses are immaculate (no pun intended), punctuated by a “Little Malibu” feel as you drive by the “over the top” back yards filled with in-ground and above-ground swimming pools jammed into the city sized lots. Play “Count the Bathtub Madonnas” with the kids as you drive through the neighborhoods. Lowellville boasts one of the best school systems in the area. There are benefits to relative isolation.

The highlight of this Mount Carmel Festival is the Baby Doll Dance, (click to link to a short You Tube clip.) A man dressed in an oversized doll costume dances down the hill, led the Mount Carmel Festival Italian Band, and performs a dance surrounded by festival revelers. Fireworks shoot out from the costume in all directions, and at the end of the performance, the head blows up. I almost had a heart attack. Caution is cast to the wind as the police and fire department make a half hearted attempt to keep the spectators back from the exploding darling, but you are still way too “up front and personal” with this thing. This is unique to the area, something everyone should experience once.

The Mount Carmel Festival in Youngstown is much tamer, but is at the heart of Italiandom in the Youngstown area. The church complex is like a mini-Vatican, off by itself on top of a hill overlooking one the legendary Italian enclaves in the area. The church itself is spectacular in its extremely Italianesque interior decoration. The church hall, a local hub for political and other functions, is located next door. There is an outdoor Stations of the Cross walkway, and huge Statue of the Virgin Mary overlooking the Mahoning Valley, or at least Oak Street. It is actually fairly impressive when driving downtown from the East Side.

Bands are the hook here, with a band playing inside the church hall as well as another band playing outside. Dancing and eating areas are provided for both, and catering by Fusilli’s giving very good cavetelli, smelts, bruschetta, and sausage sandwiches, both inside and out. Standard fair food is available outside. And the people do dance. Mount Carmel Youngstown has parishioners from all over the Mahoning Valley. It is the mother church for many Italian families. People in the huge crowds generally know each other, and you can meet and greet to your heart’s content. It is a great way to spend a warm summer’s night.

Niles, Lowellville, and the Youngstown Mount Carmel Festivals all feature special masses, and a traditional Italian parade with the Madonna leading the procession. I have never been to the Youngstown parade, but I have seen the Niles and Lowellville parades complete with chanting, praying, and Italian march music. If you are brave, you may want to pin a dollar onto the marching Madonna. What a great link to the past.

Of course, none of these festivals can be outdone by the other… and the church festivals will not be outdone by either of the secular Italian festivals in Youngstown and Warren. The Niles and Lowellville Mount Carmel festivals happen on the same weekend…then the Youngstown Mount Carmel Festival….then the Youngstown Italian Fest…and then the Warren Italian Fest. Mama Mia!!!

Now, if someone could only tell me, what the religious significance of Mount Carmel is, then I could die a happy man.

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