On Sunday, people of Portuguese descent will gather in Princeton for the return of the annual Princeton Holy Ghost and St. Anthony Festa, a celebration that attracts many people from throughout Northern and Central California.
The festa activities will begin with a parade in front of the Princeton Portuguese Hall, 866 Center St., followed by a 10:30 AM Mass at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, where the queens of the festa are recognized.
Because the festa was canceled the past two years due to the pandemic, 2020 Big Queen Madison Fonseca and 2021 queen Bailee Haywood will join this year’s Queen Sydnee Wilson in reigning over the festivities.
The selection of queens honor Queen Isabella of Portugal, also known as “Isabelle the Peacemaker” and later canonized as St. Isabella.
The elaborate religious and festive celebration celebrates the traditions of old Portugal that include a meal of roast beef, potato salad, and soupa, a bread dish soaked in beef, and honors the legend of the 14th century queen, who called for a festival to give thanks for the end of the great famine in Europe.
Fonseca, 19, of Orland, is the daughter of Tristan and Ben Parkerson and Dan Fonseca Jr.
Haywood, 16, of Maxwell, is the daughter of Kelly and Marc Haywood.
Wilson, 17, of Maxwell, is the daughter of Danielle and Robert Wilson.
The 2022 Little Queen is Finnley Mendes, 10, of Salinas. She is the daughter of Brad and Gabby Mendes.
Her side maids are her sister, Fallyn Mendes, 7, and Chloe Moore, 9, of Willows.
Moore is the daughter of Gary Moore and Casey Moore.
Lunch will follow the 10:30 mass at noon. ■