A traditional picnic celebrating the village of Villavellalonga in the Abruzzo region of central Italy will take place on Sunday through 7 p.m. at First Responders Park in Gates. According to the event’s organizers, the local tradition, which began in the early 1900s, was brought to America by Italian immigrants and has been celebrated in Rochester for many years.
La Signora, a larger-than-life doll, is scheduled to appear around 5 p.m. She is said to have entertained the ancestors of the young immigrants. There will be food served, with music provided by the Coupe de Villes. Organizers say the band's bass player is a descendant of the village.
