This summer the St. Roch’s Church feast, a popular community tradition for a century, is set for four days of food, rides and games on Aug 12, 13, 14 and 15.
Stewart Amusements will provide rides and games, and a permit is being sought by the church to use the Hamilton Avenue School property, which is under the care and control of the Board of Education.
Last year’s feast was limited to church property because the school parking deck was undergoing major repairs.
The repairs continued this summer.
Fortunately the work was completed in time for the feast.
St. Roch’s Church’s Father Peter Lenox is the applicant for the permit. The process involves securing appropriate insurance and approval from key town departments including health, police, fire, building dept, and town risk manager.
Last week Father Lenox went before the Selectmen to request a road closure of St. Roch Ave between Hamilton Avenue and Alexander Street.
It was a first read.
Selectwoman Rachel Khanna brought up the topic of potential damage to school property given past incidents.
In 2022 the grass on school field was damaged, and there was a small oil spill that required remediation.
In 2023 there was an issue with alcohol on school grounds, including elected officials drinking on school property.
The Greenwich Schools Board of Education’s relevant policy that prohibits alcohol at any time on school premises is #1316 Relations Between Public and School Personnel – Conduct on School Property.
After the 2023 feast, town risk manager Megan Damato said in an email to GFP, “Alcohol is not allowed on school property and was not permitted by my office, Parks and Rec or the BOE who issued permits and insurance requirements.” 
Hamilton Avenue School field, Aug 15, 2022 Photo: Leslie Yager 
Area on Hamilton Ave School field marked “oil spill.” Monday Aug 15, 2022 Photo: Leslie Yager
St Roch’s Feast. Friday, August 11, 2023
As for the 2026 feast, Parks & Rec’s Andrew Karen, who coordinates paperwork for special event permits, sent an email in January to Father Lenox outlining conditions for church use of the school property.
“While access to the fields is permitted for the event, permission is not granted to access the field via the garage deck due to weight restrictions. This includes the delivery and transport of rides. In previous years, rides were towed across the deck; this will not be permitted going forward,” Mr. Karen wrote.
The email said there was an individual weight limit of 8,000 lb for items such as food booths, staging for music and tents.
Further, the email specified, “No rides, portable restrooms, or equipment will be permitted on the basketball court at any time.”
Dr. Mercanti-Anthony said in an email to GFP last week that the Board of Education did not need to discuss or vote on the church’s use of school property for the feast in 2026, and that the matter was handled through appropriate administrative channels.
He did not reply to questions about who would monitor the feast and the deck weight limit, how the rides would access the field without the parking deck, who would monitor the district alcohol policy, who would repair any damage, and whether the surveillance cameras on the school are functional.
Trailer on Ham Ave field with toilet trailer on basketball court in background. Aug 9, 2022
A May 22 email from Dr. Mercanti-Anthony to Parks & Rec said the church could use the basketball court after all.
“Please know the Board of Education does not have any objections to the church using the courts as part of the feast, should construction conclude as expected,” he wrote to the Parks & Rec director, adding. “I recall the courts being used two years ago for trailer restrooms. “
Mercanti-Anthony did provide a quote for this article: “This has been an uneccesary political football for several years. The Feast is a beloved neighborhood tradition long supported by the Hamton Avenue school community. Every year, a few outliers stir up trouble around this event in an attempt to score political points. The vast majority of sentiment in town has always squarely been behind the feast.”
Father Lenox requests a road closure for the 2026 feast at the July 9, 2026 Board of Selectmen meeting
When the road closure was discussed at the July 9 Board of Selectmen meeting, Selectwoman Khanna asked if an agreement had been signed between the school and church regarding any potential property damage.
“As well as all the approvals from police, fire, health, insurance for the risk manager? Because we want to protect town property,” Khanna said.
“All the paperwork is in process now,” Father Lenox said, adding that the required signatures from the various town departments would be completed by the next Selectmen meeting.
“If there was a way to get a copy that would be great,” Khanna said.
The road closure request was a first read and the board will take up the second read at their July 23 meeting.
St Roch Ave was closed for the St Roch feast. File photo
See also:
Non-Compliance with School Alcohol Policy at St Roch’s Feast Has Risk Manager Concerned Aug 16, 2023
PHOTOS: Soaking up the Fun at the St Roch’s Feast 2023 Aug 12, 2023
Field Rehab, Basketball Court Resurfacing Under Way at Hamilton Avenue School Oct 3, 2022
BOE Motion Passes Despite Split Vote on St Roch Church Use of School Field for Carnival July 28, 2022
Questions Rise Over Use of Hamilton Avenue School Field for St Roch’s Carnival June 22, 2022
BOE Tables Vote on St. Roch Church Use of Ham Ave Field and $29K Irrigation System Gift March 20, 2023
Repairs to Hamilton Ave School Parking Garage Needed; St. Roch Church Seeks Use of Parking Deck & Field for 2023 Feast March 15, 2023