Saint Joseph's Feast

2009 - Boston's North End

In 2009 I spent the summer working with the Mass Cultural Council doing fieldwork documenting local cultural and heritage festivals in the greater Boston area. Out of all the festivals I attended, the Italian feasts for the various Saints were certainly my favorite. Walking the old cobble stones of the North End under the string lights above, hearing the sounds of reverence and revelry amidst the smell of hot oil and melted cheese always felt too real to be true -- like a truth I'd only ever get to see in the movies, happening there before my eyes. Present and close enough for me to touch, taste, document.

I think at the time I was using a little Nikon Coolpix point and shoot digital to take photos and videos. I was lucky enough though to get to use the MCC's portable audio recording equipment to capture ambient and special sounds. Below you'll find those sound recordings and the photos that I submitted to the MCC for my work on this festival that year.