A vegan tops the greased pole-climbing competition, and more scenes from the Italian Market Festival 2025

Thousands stepped out in the sunshine for the annual Philadelphia Italian Market Festival on Sunday for cannoli, pizza, and Aperol spritzes as they celebrated the beloved South Ninth Street destination.

The morning kicked off at St. Mary Magdalen de Pazzi Church with the Procession of Saints, led by the Norristown marching band La Banda Verdi. Among those honored with statues were St. Ann, St. Lucy, St. John Neumann, San Salvador, and Our Lady of Guadalupe. Participants guided the statues through the festival on rolling carts.

Michael Santini, 24, a member of the Knights of Columbus, pushed the Mother Cabrini statue. “Just to be a part of the community with something as simple as pushing the cart, it makes me feel gratified and I appreciate my faith even more than I do on a daily basis,” he said.

For Anthony and Lisa Mirarchi, participating in the procession is their way of imparting a family tradition to their 19-month-old son, Michael. This year marked the toddler’s second time in the procession to honor San Marziale, the patron saint of Anthony Mirarchi’s Italian hometown Isca sullo Ionio.

“We do it to venerate our saint, and as practicing Catholics, it’s very meaningful for us,” said Mirarchi, a chapter president of South Philly’s Filitalia International organization. “The two sides of the bloodlines are Italian, so [Michael can] understand the culture and continue that.”

One 85-year-old woman walking with the statue of St. Rita of Cascia has participated in the procession annually since she was just 5, in honor of her grandmother. She did not want to share her name because her family asked her not to march this year, as they worried about her physical condition given her age.

“During the war they used to put wedding rings on the statues so that their sons could come home from the war. [My grandmother] said, ‘Promise me, you’ll do this,’” she recalled. “This may be my last year, but I’ve been able to do it. I’ve seen miracles happen from these statues.”

» READ MORE: The 2025 Italian Market Festival, in photos

Amid dozens of vendors highlighting market favorites like Di Bruno Bros., Talluto’s, and Isgro Pastries was a bright blue tent for Our Market, a public art project from artist Michelle Angela Ortiz, selling tote bags with the message “Immigrants Make Our Market Thrive!”

Raised on League Street, Ortiz has launched several art projects in the market, including mural portraits showcasing historical community leaders who lived and worked on South Ninth Street. She also leads walking tours to share and preserve that Philadelphia history.

The artist’s mother, Epifania Ortiz, moved to the neighborhood nearly 60 years ago because the outdoor market reminded her of home in Colombia. She cooked and cleaned at Giordano’s for 25 years.

On Sunday, Ortiz welcomed folks to share their stories of the market and its history in a story booth. Those testimonials will become part of an oral history and digital archive aimed at “widening the narrative of the market” to acknowledge the myriad immigrant communities that came before.

“The intention of this work is obviously reminding ourselves and people that are visiting that the market has always been a place for immigrants and migrants, and how essential it is to remember that and to represent these stories in the midst of a climate where it is very anti-immigrant,” said Ortiz, referencing President Donald Trump’s administration targeting and deporting immigrants across the nation.

The greased pole-climbing competition is the festival’s most popular event as hundreds cheer on teams of intrepid climbers trying to reach the salami and cheese at the top to the tune of the Rocky theme.

The first team of the day spent more than an hour working at the slippery task, with a changing cast of volunteers. In one nail-biting attempt, Shreya Choudhary, 22, of Queen Village, grazed the salami with her fingertips but couldn’t get a grip before the pyramid of trembling men below her slowly fell.

On the third try, she had a chance at redemption with the crowd roaring in support as she once again reached for the prize. Her floral print shirt and beige pants were soaked with sweat and grease as she stood on the third level of shoulders and stretched her arm up to the sky as onlookers shouted directions and words of encouragement.

Just inches shy, Choudhary tried reaching once again, this time putting her barefoot on the top of her teammate’s head — and she grabbed the salami, victorious.

Later, she said that she kept trying to win because her team was nice and supportive, and she “just wanted to climb more.”

As the rest of her team took victory bites of the cured meat treat, Choudhary abstained. She was in it for the glory, not the reward: She’s a vegan.