tlscorpio
I'm not sure we bother to go to the Italian Festival anymore. It used to be fun and great food. Over the years, it seems to get worse and worse. The service is poor...OK they are volunteers, but...The food tends to not be hot. I'd rather eat at a nice Italian restaurant than go back to the Italian Festival.
daisyferret1
Another year, another festival. Again, we enjoyed the bands, rides & food at St. Anthony's Italian Festival. We were glad to see Chef Furio back with his homemade pastas & arancini. Delish! The kids enjoyed the rides & we enjoyed listening to the bands play. The kids even liked the Italian polka music. Only disappointment this year was the funnel cake. Someone or something happened to them. They were a mess. Sorry to say they were not worth a dollar, let alone the $6 we paid for them. We even saw other people throwing away their uneaten funnel cakes. Better luck next year, I guess. The lemonades, however, did not disappoint! Bernie's Italian Ices were also great.On the way out, we even stopped in Father Tucker Memorial Park (which is inside the carnival grounds). The kids played on the swings & slides. You can also get a great view of the rides from here. There are some benches here where you can rest & listen to the music too. Fun times are always to be had at the week long festival held at St. Anthony's. We have been coming for years & would recommend to others. See you next year!
ELVIRAKARAMEN
Very big and beautiful church. Moreover, you can visit it without paying entrance fee. Saint Antony is loved and admired saint by Catholics. He is a " doctor saint". It is believed that he can find lost items. It is worth to visit it. It is a must in Padova.
JoefromNewark
St. Anthony's has the largest area carnival and week-long festival in Northern Delaware. Somehow its reputation has grown such that it is often listed as one of the top 10 things to do in Delaware. Save you money and your time as the church has found new ways to take your money while the value of the "Italian" portion of the event has gone way down. On my Top 10 Things not to see in Delaware list.
daisyferret1
We visited St. Anthony's again this summer for the Italian Festival. We always stop to visit the church 1st. It is a beautiful old church with a very pretty fountain out front. I find the doors and architecture to be amazing. As always, we had a nice time at the festival. This year the festival was smaller in size. We noticed that they cut out a whole section where there used to be a band, food vendors, seafood shack and casino style games. We did miss the seafood shack, but we still had a good time. La Casa Pasta & The Chesapeake Inn were both back this year with their specialities. We stopped and got an authentic Italian dinner from Chef Giuseppe Furio, who was making fresh pasta by hand on location. It was delicious! While we dined, we caught a live performance by Eric Richardson (Tribute to Dean Martin show). To finish the night off we got a lemonade and a funnel cake (from the school booth), which was also very good. On the way out, we stopped at Torrone Candy and got some soft torrone & at Bernie's Original for a lemon water ice. Overall we enjoyed the festival. Prices can be high, but it is a nice night out where you can enjoy the culture and live entertainment. Rides are attractive, but I haven't been on them. Overall food is good, but some stands are better than others. Admission is fair price at only $5 per adult. Kids under 14 & seniors over 60 are FREE. Church is FREE to visit throughout the year except on evenings during the week of the festival.
carment230
pretty greedy place though. church inside is old and pretty. staff is not so friendly. their feast is outragious as far as price to get in very expensive
joyceTL4
You will need to use GPS to find the church as there are several one-way streets in and around the city of Wilmington proper. We decided to attend the Saturday mass vigil at 5:30PM. They also have mass Sunday at 7, 9 and 11AM. There are daily masses as well that are listed on their website. We parked on the street but while walking up to the building, saw a lot across the road for parking. The church is somewhat large. There is a bathroom to the side in the back. The side chapels are varied and beautiful. They showcase various saints and prayer areas. It reminded me more of the churches in Italy in that it is unlike more modern Catholic churches that do not have any side chapels. There is an old world feel to it. Note the striking lit up halo of the Madonna near the front altar. The ceiling is dimensional created of wood and color. Just a beautiful interior and great workmanship by the Italian Americans who built this building with love and pride. We met the priest after mass and he was very welcoming to us and glad we had stopped for mass. The only sad note was the poor sound system so that if you were seated in the back it was difficult to hear mass at times. I would suggest sitting closer to the front if you go. Overall a very nice experience and I would love to attend services here again if ever back in the Wilmington area.
sdr19899
Old-style Roman Catholic church built by the Italian immigrants from the neighborhood it serves. Really lovely ornately decorated interior.
SandyF916
Saint Anthony's is a beautiful church in the heart of Wilmington's Little Italy neighborhood. The neighborhood itself has changed over the years, and not necessarily for the better. The area is not as well-maintained as it was in the past, but many cities suffer the same fate. Their festival, held in June each year, attracts people from far and wide. I personally believe that it has overgrown the area, but it remains as popular today and it was when I was a kid.
MaggieP7
No dislikes. I am not Catholic, but I have visited many times. It is open for tourists and visitors during the Italian Festival (week-plus long ethnic festival in the neighborhood around St. A's in June). Beautiful side chapels with statues of the saints, which are paraded around the neighborhood in the parade of the saints which is also part of the Festival. I don't know if the church is open during the week except during Mass, but it would be worth a side trip if your group if visiting Winterthur, Hagley, Longwood, etc. Call the church office to check for their hours.
FindAnIsland4theGurl
Every year this church holds a week long festival that they are known near and far for. It's a great cultural experience, giving a glimpse into the local Catholic Italian American lifestyle. The food is the real deal, they offer wine and beer, a carnival, music and a smattering of jewelry and other wares for sale. People watching is almost as much fun as the festival.
lancaster4luvers
Great Italian church, wonderful Italian festival. Warm friendly Italian people server wonderful homemade Italian food. GREAT Stations of the Cross during Lent.
SandyM828
The church itself is beautiful and St. Anthony's Italian festival in June is not to be missed. Something for everyone, great food and rides
makeusa
Every early June for ~10 days Eats, Vino, Music ...
JanetM324
Built like a cathedral with mostly volunteer labor. Beautiful inside. It is the people that make this church so special.