NORWICH – St. Bartholomew’s will once again host its annual Italian Feast Day beginning at 5 p.m. Friday and running through the weekend at its 81 East Main St. location.

The celebration will culminate with a special 9 a.m. Mass on Sunday by Father Ralph Bove, in both English and Italian, said organizers, who added the event is free and open to the entire community.

Joked Mayor Joseph Maiurano, “On Italian Feast Day, everyone becomes Italian.”

Organizers said the key components of the celebration range from a massive assortment of Italian cuisine, raffles and games to Friday’s hour-long performance of excerpts from the Norwich Theater Company’s upcoming production of “Godspell.” The Italian Feast celebration runs until 8:30 p.m. Friday, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday.

A procession will follow Sunday’s Mass at approximately 10 a.m., during which time a statue of St. Bartholomew will be hoisted up and carried around the church grounds. Fluttering from the statue’s back will be the same banner that first ordained it during the 1927 celebration, said organizers, and people will have an opportunity to pin money on to it in a traditional offering to the saint.