JESSUP, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — We’re just two days away from the Running of the Saints in Jessup for St. Ubaldo Day.
But the celebratory kick-off of festivities begins at a local fire company’s annual carnival.
Raindrops falling down in Jessup aren’t putting a damper on the fun of Memorial Day weekend.
Jessup Hose Company Number 2’s annual carnival kicked off Wednesday night, a wet start to a jam-packed event.
“It was not ideal, fortunately enough, it’s a tight-knit community, so we did still have people show up, and we are very grateful to the community,” said Joe Kozuch, second assistant chief/carnival co-chairman.
Rides, a beer tent, and delicious homemade food were still the draw.
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All the money raised from the six-day carnival goes to funding the fire company.
“We replaced our 1990s tools here with state-of-the-art vehicle rescue tools, so this is firsthand, you can see what the money is going towards,” explained Bobby Berta, Lieutenant at Jessup Hose Co. No. 2.
Its largest fundraiser helps cover costs like its 200,000 scuba breathing apparatus, and plans to replace the 1994 fire engine.
“It’s starting to show its age. It’s the primary fire engine for the borough of Jessup, so it’s a necessity at this point to get it upgraded, and prices are coming in at over a million dollars,” said Kozuch.
The carnival is an attraction in itself, but another event bringing in crowds is Saint Ubaldo Day on Saturday.
“Can you really describe, I mean, people running around with saints on their shoulders?” said Johnny Mancia Jr., Family of St. Ubaldo.
The unique tradition that includes the Race of the Saints only happens in two parts of the world, Jessup, and Gubbio, Italy.
The St. Ubaldo society will be hosting those visiting from Italy, while others, like Laurie Marino, got to see their festival firsthand in Gubbio two weeks ago.
“We all met at the Piazza, which is outside of the Ducale, and it was all Jessup, so it was like one big happy family. It was just a memorable vacation that I’ll never forget,” said Marino.
Unforgettable sights and sounds in the borough, bringing the community together.
“Jessup’s going to come alive. It brings thousands and thousands of people, you know, for our festival and also for the carnival,” said Scott Hall, president of St. Ubaldo Society.
The carnival continues Thursday at 6 p.m. and runs through Monday. Meanwhile, festivities for Saint Ubaldo Day begin as early as 6 a.m. on Saturday.
