Bloomfield’s Little Italy Days have been rescheduled.
The four-day Italian festival is now planned for Oct. 8-11, producer Sal Richetti said Monday.
Richetti made the decision last week because of the ever-changing restrictions surrounding the coronavirus pandemic.
“I’ve been monitoring the situation and because of all the restrictions, I felt it wasn’t going to be able to happen on its original date in August,” said Richetti, who has been head of the event for 10 years. “I wanted to let the vendors and everyone involved know so they can plan.”
Richetti said he is diagramming the correct spacing of vendors to accommodate the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s social distancing requirements. He added that vendors will be required to wear masks, as well as the public. There will be hand-sanitizing stations and other cleaning procedures implemented.
A Columbus Day Parade is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 10. The following day, the Madonna della Civita statue will be carried from St. Maria Goretti Church in Bloomfield to a sister parish after the morning Italian Mass.
There will be entertainment and a bocce competition. He said that he’s gotten support from many Bloomfield businesses.
“I am hopeful,” Richetti said. “There are no guarantees and it will depend on the outdoor restrictions. We need to see what happens in terms of a vaccine and other medical advances with covid-19.”
