International Delight: St. Ferdinand Holds Annual Ethnic Food Fair

Area residents tasted flavors from around the world without ever leaving Cranberry Township over the weekend.

St. Ferdinand Catholic Church on Rochester Road held its annual Ethnic Food Fair Saturday and Sunday. Valerie Rieder, who organized this year’s festival, said different ministry groups associated with the church each represented a different country at the event.

For example, the Mothers Nurturing Mothers group staffed a booth with foods from Italy while The Knights of Columbus sold potato soup at the booth representing Ireland.

“It has always been a great event to raise awareness of the different groups in the church,” Rieder said.

The festival has been held at the church for more than 15 years. It also featured entertainment, including The N.A. Fiddlers—a group of string players from the North Allegheny School District—the Ambridge Area Steel Drum Band and the Mars Stars jump rope team.

“The entertainment draws people in and keeps people here,” Rieder said.

Proceeds will from the event will benefit the individual ministry groups as well as the church’s four-phase building project.

The church completed the first phase of the project, which involved building walking paths around the church and adding a new annex to the property, in fall 2009. Youth minister Andrea Wheeler said the second phase of the project is slated to start in April.

Wheeler said that phase would include adding new educational classrooms and meeting rooms and new offices for the church staff, at an estimated cost of $2.7 million.

Efforts to raise money for additonal phases of the project—including building a connection between Oldenski Hall and the church and adding a new rectory—are ongoing.