The 95th Annual San Rocco Celebration has been cancelled for 2020. You can read the press release below sent to Beaver County Radio by the event organizers:
For the past 95 years, we have come together to celebrate the San Rocco Festa
with our family, friends, and neighbors. After careful consideration, the San
Rocco Cultural Committee Board of Directors has made the difficult decision to
cancel the 2020 San Rocco Festa due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, we
will be focusing this year on the most important parts of our celebration: the San
Rocco Mass and spending more time with close family. “This decision was not
made lightly, but complying with social distancing guidelines and state mandates
for large gatherings, and an overriding concern for the
safety of our many volunteers, workers, vendors,
entertainers, and patrons left us with no choice,” said Dr.
Fred Persi, Committee President. He adds, “In 2019, the 3-
day event drew over 7,000 attendees. We fully expect to
return next August with renewed purpose to bring our
sense of community to even larger crowds.” All activities at
the Center Township Municipal Park previously scheduled
for August 14, 15, and 16 have been canceled, along with
the traditional procession through Aliquippa.
This year the Committee plans to honor the tradition by celebrating a mass on
August 16, the Festa Day of San Rocco, at St. Titus Church, Aliquippa. “We are
working with church officials to determine participation restrictions, but at
minimum, hope to stream the ceremony live,” added board member Gary
Tranelli. More details will be forthcoming and can be found on the website
www.sanrocco.org.