St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, the parish on the west end of Wilmington that helped tie Italian Americans in Delaware into one large community, is celebrating its 100th anniversary. It's also the 50th anniversary of St. Anthony's Italian Festival, an 8-day celebration of Italian American culture and heritage that covers six city blocks, has hundreds of volunteers each night, and is considered one of the state's top tourist attractions.

The festivities, with attendance speculated at 350,000 people at the height of its popularity (today it's more like 60,000 to 65,000 attendees), begin on Sunday, June 9, and run through Sunday, June 16. Proceeds benefit St. Anthony of Padua Grade School.