Research Timeline/Project Updates

September 2024- IRB approval and data collection begins with interviews of current and former residents and current and former feast committee members and volunteers.

May 2025- We presented early research results at the Hoboken Historical Museum.

June 2025- Book proposal completed.

July 2025- Chapter 1 writing began on the history of Hoboken and the arrival of European immigrants including the Italians, reasons for leaving and the arrival of feasts in Hoboken.

July 2025- Research team attends St. Ann's feast for participant and non-participant data collection.

July 2025- Survey data collection is ongoing

September 2025-  Research team attends Hoboken Italian Festival for participant and non-participant data collection.

September 2025- Data Collection Period Ends

September/October 2025- Fellowship applications are submitted to 3 foundations to support the writing and research of this project.

April 2026- We will be presenting "Hoboken and the Feasts: Do religious cultural traditions matter in gentrified communities? "

at the John D Calandra Italian American Institute yearly conference titled "Religions, Beliefs, and the Supernatural in Italy and across Italian Mobilities Conference, April 24-25, 2026"

on April 24th. 

The event is free and open to the public.

*See events page for video

We anticipate sending out the book proposal in May(ish), and 2 chapters of the book are almost complete. We will be presenting chapter 5 on the religious aspects of the feasts and if these traditions are relevant in a gentrified community.  

Nobember 2026- 

November is a busy and exciting month. Chapter 2, the chapter that chronicles the feasts in Italy and Hoboken is underway. This chapter has been interesting as it has required the translation of Italian texts to understand the traditions in Italy... We hope to finish this chapter by the end of the month, which would bring us to the midway point of the text.