~ Malden Musings ~ Saint Rocco Feast Aug. 9-11

By Peter Levine

It’s the most wonderful time of the year… San Rock 2024 is right around the corner! Once again, we will gather on freshly painted, newly weed-whacked, pothole-free Pearl Street (thank you, Mr. Mayor) to celebrate the best three days of the year in Malden: Saint Rocco Feast weekend (don’t call it a festival!). Hopefully, we will have marvelous weather as the weekend welcomes pilgrims from far and wide to enjoy this spectacular three days of music, food and friendship. Gotta let Malden know this right off the bat – so many people make this event the smashing success it is. Takes a lot of blood, sweat and tears to make it happen. President at the Italian American Citizens’ Club Billy Settemio, San Rock Big Cheese Joyce Mover and our trusty five tool player, Anthony Spadafora, are but a few who ensure a weekend of family-friendly fun.

This year the Feast of Saint Rocco will take place on Friday, August 9, through Sunday, August 11. By North End standards this festa is a small one but it has always had an unusually big heart – and a long history. It started well over 90 years ago to assist needy Italian immigrants of Edgeworth stay warm in the winter, eat healthy in the summer and remain spiritually connected all year round (as well as drunk on homemade vino for three straight days in August).

With that said…San Rock Festa 2024… Save the dates for the most joyous weekend of the year! Friday night will be newcomers and North End favorites “12 Barz Band” (a must-see type of group with a horn section). Fan favorites WildFire will be back on Saturday night (again I advise get there early for this one or you will be sitting in the rafters). Sunday we’ll have Steve Savio with Sea Breeze entertain the midday crowd after the Procession, and Billy Joel tribute act Heart Attack Ack Ack Ack Ack Ack closing out the weekend. Special note and (again) mums the word…you will want to be around Sunday midday after the Procession for a very special tribute to a very special recently departed local icon.

This year’s Saint Rocco Feast is the 94th year Malden gathers on Pearl Street and celebrates (and the first one without Butch Gennetti in 86 of those years). If you are one (of the many) devotee who makes the yearly pilgrimage to the Feast, welcome back. If you are one of the populaces on the fence or haven’t graced us with your presence for some time, 2024 is the perfect year to reappear. Newbies to Malden – we welcome you with goodwill, kindness and neighborly warmth (you gotta try “Richie’s Meatballs”!). The San Rock Festa is the original multicultural event. It’s all about bringing people together, not splitting them apart. Nothing has changed. Make your presence known! Come by, even if for only a short while (quick sausage, peppers & onions?). Make new friends or get reacquainted with old ones. Either way, the best of times awaits you at this year’s Festa!

The 94th Annual Feast of San Rocco kicks off Friday night, Aug. 9, at 6 as we carefully guide ole San Rock from his hibernation spot high above Pearl Street at the IACC down to Pearl Street Park, where we may shed a tear or two while the marching band plays the Italian and American national anthems to start the weekend. I sincerely hope to see you all there. Cent’ Anni.

As Peter Falk’s iconic TV character Columbo would say, “Just one more thing, sir” – baseball/football star from “Yesteryear Malden” Tommy Cunha was a multi-sports star his whole life; a pure athlete dominating baseball fields from Linden to Devir Park since he was a wee bit of a lad. When his baseball career was over (little league, BRL, Malden High School), he took up softball and dominated that sport for decades. Tommy was a gym rat also, like most of us in those days, and could be found at any time of the day (most every day of the year) at the old Y, the Glenwood/Beebe/Linden/Browne gyms and all points in between. In 2024, Tommy, I believe, can still be seen jogging the streets of Malden while the rest of us power walk those very same streets (and, on occasion, can be spotted entertaining his many friends at Pearl Street Station). I loved having Tommy on my basketball teams at the old Y. Tommy was a gamer. He played smart and tough. He was team-oriented and never took a bad shot. Tommy could often be heard: “Which park are y’all playin’ basketball? Get me on the court and I’m trouble. Last week, messed around and got a triple double.” Tommy never said that I just wanted to use an Ice Cube lyric in one of these columns! But seriously, get me, Tommy, Gus Murray and Joe Levine on the same team – we stay on the Y court all night; fuhgeddaboudit! Did I mention Tommy was the hero of the Malden/Medford football game when he was a senior in 1974? All of us remember Tommy’s heroics that memorable day at Hormel Stadium as MHS upset ancient rival Meffa in one of the biggest T-Giving day upsets in the history of the rivalry. Tommy played with the heart of a lion that morning: grinding out yardage short and long, coming up with the big play all morning. Medford led at the half, 6-0, when the Mustangs’ John Flynn returned the second-half kickoff 88 yards for a touchdown, putting Malden in a 12-0 hole. But the steady ground game led by Tommy (101 yards) and the passing heroics of sophomore quarterback John Stanasek sparked the big V, the first for new Head Coach Paul Finn, who went on to coach 25 more Turkey Days. It was one of the most dramatic second-half turnarounds in series history, and it gave the good guys a 22-13 victory to enjoy with our turkey dinners.

But I digress…Tommy contacted me recently: “Hi Peter, it was great reading about Charlie Norman in your recent article. A little tidbit that you might not know is that Charlie had such a good year in baseball, his senior year at Malden High as a right fielder, that he made All Scholastic Honorable Mention. He did a great job hitting the ball and even had a few diving catches thrown in there. Hope to see you soon at Saint Rocco’s.” Thank you, Tommy. See you in August.

Postscript 1: Once again, here is my attempt at a John O’Brien-type pun/musing. John had a lot of fun over the years with this famous Bob Dylan line (“For the times they are a-changin’”). Those who know their Malden history will appreciate this. I hope it measures up: “From Nanepashemet, Montowampate, Wonohaquaham, and Wenepoykin to Abderrahim, Tiago, Wu, Gilberto, Exilhomme, Chan, and Teuta, in Malden, the times they are a-changin’.” Okay, if I need to explain, it was a failure (LOL).

Postscript 2: Congratulations to “Friends of Malden” – brothers Ralph, Paul and Anthony (Deuterio) at Galleria Umberto on Hanover Street in the North End of Boston for appearing in the “Best of the Best” issue of the (July 14) Boston Globe Magazine in the “where and what to savor in the North End and beyond” category. Thus, speaketh The Globe: “There are modern, TikTok trend-induced lines, and then there are lines for the ages. The latter camp includes the lunchtime lines here. Everyone wants a taste of the famed, fantastic square pizza, made in sheet pans and sold until it runs out for the day.” Malden loves you guys, stay square!

Postscript 3: When life settles down a bit, I will present “Part Two” of my Butch Gennetti homage. But until then, I leave with these words from longtime BG admirer Debbie Gray-Silvestri: “So, today I attended a home of love, laughter, and grief. Thank you, John Cagno, for opening your home for your family and friends of your uncle Butch Gennetti. He definitely was one of Edgeworth’s icons. He will be missed forever. He was the most upbeat man I ever met. Always willing to help and solve a situation. His love of family was unconditional, friends as well. He treated everyone with the same respect and kindness. This man’s dance moves were smooth and easy, like really gracious in a way of no other. His love of life shined like no other. The love of woman (well let’s just say it was numerous). Those walks in Edgeworth, my friend, you were the first of the Hooters in a male form with your high-rise shorts (my husband Richie’s words). I love you for your whole being my friend. Rip forever! I will never forget you. My sincere condolences to his immediate family Peggy, Lisa Gennetti Lipani, Dina Gennetti Robinson, Sal, Carla Gennetti Svendsen, and Maria.”

Postscript 4: As we approach the 94th Annual Feast of Saint Rocco, we once again take time to remind ourselves how blessed we are to keep this tradition of ours alive for these many years. When a group of Italian immigrants living in Edgworth assembled for the first time in 1929, it was to honor a tradition they brought with them from their homeland of Italy. We often think how proud they would be to know that their memory is alive and well in 2024. The spirit of San Rocco lives in our hearts; this gives us the strength to carry on the tradition of our forefathers. Mille grazie, many thanks to all of you for being part of the San Rock Festa tradition and supporting us throughout the years. Please join us once again on August 9 through 11 for “The Feast”! The greatest event in the city of Malden for over 90 years!

—Peter is a longtime Malden resident and a regular contributor to The Malden Advocate and can be reached at PeteL39@aol.com for comments, compliments or criticisms.