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Ken Benitez / Friday, January 8, 2021

Indy Sicilian Festival moves to first weekend in June for 2021

INDEPENDENCE---The Independence Sicilian Heritage Festival Board has voted to move their 2021 festival to the first weekend in June.

ISHF officials said the move is related to concerns about COVID-19 in the community. They said this calendar shift will only impact the 2021 festival.

Now entering its 13th year, the Independence Sicilian Heritage Festival salutes the history and the accomplishments of Sicilian immigrants who settled in Independence and surrounding parts of Tangipahoa Parish. The event features a midway, carnival rides, a parade, and a menu of traditional Sicilian foods for participants to enjoy. There is "dancing in the streets" as local bands perform on stages placed throughout the town. US 51, the main entry into the town, is closed for the three-day event and becomes the heart of the "festival grounds" which extend from either side of the railroad tracks and throughout "downtown" Independence.

The festival is traditionally held the second weekend in March, making it the first major event on Tangipahoa's extensive spring festival season calendar. Officials said that after consulting with many public health and safety leaders, they thought the move to June would be a better option for 2021 in light of the new COVID vaccines.

Officials encourage the public to stay tuned to the ISHF website, www.indysicilianfest.com for news and upcoming announcements about plans for this year's event.

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