As the 90th Annual Festa Begins… – Fig City News

As the 90th annual Festa begins… – Fig City News

Wednesday, July 16, is the beginning of the 90th annual St. Mary of Carmen Society festival, known as Festa, in Nonantum. The festival celebrates the enduring Italian heritage of "The Lake" - as the neighborhood is called in the community, many of whose ancestors emigrated from the San Donato area in Italy. This year, the five-day event has been the focus of unwanted notoriety and press because, without notice or warning, the City chose to paint…

'Pound of Flesh': Nonantum neighbors demonstrate at City Hall, showing no signs of backing down - Newton Beacon

On Monday afternoon, as dark clouds rushed from the sky to make way for some early evening sun, Mayor Ruthanne Fuller sent an email to the community calling for a compromise in what has escalated into a local culture war over Italian heritage. “Before the City painted the reflective yellow center lines, we gave permission to the Festa volunteers to again this year repaint the tricolors on Adams Street prior to Festa, just moved over by 12” or 18…