There are few sights in South Florida that feel as enduring as neon-lit carnival rides spinning beside spaghetti stands or as comforting as sticky-sweet zeppole melting on your tongue. For 41 years, the St. Coleman Italian Festival was precisely that sort of tradition: a mid-February ritual that brought together families, friends and generations. Now, that chapter has come to a close.
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Since 1984, the Pompano Beach festival has been a fixture, evolving from a modest pasta dinner into one of Broward County’s most beloved family events, noted fest organizers in a farewell post on Facebook. Each year, it drew thousands of attendees for rides, raffles, live music and food, serving as both a fundraiser and cultural touchstone.
The reason for the curtain call is pragmatic, if bittersweet. Rising costs for everything from rides to insurance, paired with dwindling numbers of volunteers, made it harder to deliver the festival at the scale and quality parishioners had come to expect. “Rather than raise prices or reduce the experience, we have chosen to close this chapter on a high note,” the statement explained. The note, while final, wasn’t devoid of optimism: “Though this tradition ends, the spirit of St. Coleman is alive and strong. Stay tuned for new events that will continue to bring us together.”
For many, the news hit hard. Generations of locals grew up with the festival, and social media quickly filled with memories. “My kids will be so disappointed,” one commenter lamented. A Change.org petition urging the parish to reconsider has already circulated, underscoring just how entwined the event is with the community’s identity.
Whether the petition sparks a revival remains to be seen. In the meantime, the parish says smaller, more manageable gatherings are on the horizon, the kind of scaled-down events designed to keep the communal spirit alive without the strain of a full-blown carnival.
For now, South Floridians will remember the St. Coleman Italian Festival as more than just rides and pasta. It was a tradition that fed both appetites and a sense of belonging. And after four decades, its legacy will linger long after the festival lights have dimmed.
Whether the petition sparks a revival remains to be seen. In the meantime, the parish says smaller, more manageable gatherings are on the horizon, the kind of scaled-down events designed to keep the communal spirit alive without the strain of a full-blown carnival.
For now, South Floridians will remember the St. Coleman Italian Festival as more than just rides and pasta. It was a tradition that fed both appetites and a sense of belonging. And after four decades, its legacy will linger long after the festival lights have dimmed.