Community gathers for annual Italian Festival and Columbus Day Parade

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) – Just one hour after the flag raising, local high schools and organizations marched down Main Street for the annual Columbus Day Parade.

Leading the way was local law enforcement, and politicians, followed by Italian fraternal organizations, and the Binghamton High School Steel Drum Band.

Like every year, school marching bands walk in the parade and compete in the annual Tournament of the Marching Bands. This year featured Union Endicott, Johnson City, Chenango Forks, Whitney Point, Williamson, and Athens.

And it wouldn’t be an Italian festival without homemade, Italian foods.

Members of the Stella D’Argento Lodge were serving their hot, meatball sandwiches and pasta fagioli to raise money for clothing drives and high school scholarships.

“The ladies, you couldn’t ask for better cooks than them. I mean, they’re master chefs. They come in here and the meatballs, and the pasta fagioli. And we were in at six this morning just finishing up. And it’s a lot of fun, and the moneys we collect go to different charities that we do,” said D’Argento.

Saint Mary’s of the Assumption Church was selling homemade baked goods like cannoli and Italian wedding cake.

Following the parade, there was live music in the street from Rooster and the Roadhouse Horns until 2 on Monday.

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