St. Joseph Festival returns to Dover on July 16 and 17

DOVER – The St. Joseph Festival will bring great food and live music to Dover during the weekend of July 16 and 17.

The annual event, which supports the ministries of St. Joseph Catholic Church on N. Tuscarawas Avenue, was canceled in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sixth Street, next to the church, will be closed during the festival. 

Sarah Sciarretti, who is in charge of publicity for the event, along with her husband, Joe, said organizers scaled back the festival to two days this year – rather than the normal three – to anticipate people’s comfort levels as the pandemic eases.

“Are people going to come out, or are they a little bit nervous still, or are we going to have tons of people because everybody’s aching to be out and be with people and experience that fellowship?” she said.

Festival favorites will be available, including sausage sandwiches and meatball sandwiches. There also will be authentic tamales made by the women of the church.

“The sausage sandwich really epitomizes the ethnicities that were here, because the German had all the sausage and the Italians added the Italian hot pepper to it,” Joe Sciarretti said.

In addition, there will be instant bingo and a beer garden.

“It’s a labor of love. It’s definitely a community effort,” Sarah Sciarretti said. “Everyone has their booth and they take care of it and manage it.”

Live entertainment is planned for both nights.

Performing will be: 

FRIDAY

• Tequila Mary from 5 to 7:30 p.m. and Badstone from 8 to 11 p.m.

SATURDAY

• Larry Notz from 5 to 7:30 p.m. and Moonlyterz from 8 to 11 p.m.

• Joe Sciarretti said people plan their reunions around the St. Joseph Festival.

Quoting the church’s pastor, Father Jimmy Hatfield, he said, “There’s no other event we have as a church that really brings so many different people and brings them back to the area.”