Preparations For Fisherman's Feast, Flight Of The Angel Underway In The North End

BOSTON (CBS) -- One of Boston's olden Italian festivals is returning for the first time since the pandemic began. On Monday, a test run of the famous Flight of the Angel was underway as preparations were made for the Fisherman's Feast in the North End.

"The whole angel ceremony is back and it's going to be two angels on the side and one angel will be doing a flight. Today, we're going to be doing the test flight of the angel," said Louis Strazzullo, Fisherman's Feast Co-Chairman.

"It's a bunch of fun. You get to be with friends and family. It's one of my favorite things to do in August," said Mia Graffeo, this year's flying angel.

Last year the festival was virtual but this year event organizers look forward to welcoming back people and traditions.

"This is our 111th year. It started back in 1910 with our ancestors from Sicily," said Strazzullo.

"Usually it takes about a year to plan. We pulled it together in under four months. We're more than excited. I think a lot of folks in the neighborhood are excited. People want to get back to having our feast again," said Co-Chairman Danny Puccio.

The Fisherman's Feast will be going on Thursday to Sunday, ending with the Flight of the Angel on North Street, an event that's been years in the making for this year's angels.

"If you get picked you get to be the side angel. And then you have to work your way up to the flying angel. You'll be side angel one and then side angel two. And then the flying angel," said 11-year-old Mia Graffeo.

"The side angel says a full speech in Italian just about the Madonna and telling people about her," said Gianna Puccio, one of the side angels this year. She added, "a few words are 'silenzio' and 'viva.'"

This year it's Mia's turn to be the flying angel. "I can't wait to fly over the audience and bring some joy," she said.

"That Sunday night, 8:30 it's a beautiful ceremony to watch. It's always amazing to see that we pull it off every year," said Strazzullo.

For more on the Fisherman's Feast, visit: http://www.fishermansfeast.com