The 78th Blessing of the Fleet will take centre stage at Fremantle Fishing Boat Harbour on Sunday, October 26, drawing fishing crews and the wider community for prayers of safe passage in a tradition that remains central to the city’s identity.
This year festival will transform the harbour with food, music and pageantry at Little Italy by the Sea.
Festivalgoers can expect rope-coiling contests, pasta-making workshops, and a fireworks finale over the water.
Crayfishing boats will line the waterfront while Piazza del Mare and Nonna’s Piazza serve family recipes, fresh seafood, and Italian sweets.
Blessing of the Fleet committee president John Minutillo said Fremantle’s version of the ceremony continues to hold its own among the great European festivals.
“I’ve just come back from Italy and I saw the Blessing of the Fleet in Molfetta,” he said.
“Once the statue comes out, it sends a shiver up your spine. Then everybody sort of follows it down to the fishing boat harbour where they put it on the boat and it stays on the boat till eight o’clock at night.”
In Fremantle, things are done a little differently.
“They only have the one statue, of course, we’ve got the two statues, and we put the people in the procession on the boats as well,” Mr Minutillo said.
“I think for what we’ve got in Fremantle, we put on a pretty good show every year.
“We reckon that last year was probably our biggest year for a long time, in terms of people in the streets, and there’s more activities happening.”
He said this year’s festivities would include “a bit of a Sardine Festival” alongside lobster and strawberries served in the museum car park.
“I think back in the old days, everybody loved the Sardine Festival, so we’ve brought back a miniature size sardine festival,” he said.
Fremantle mayor Hannah Fitzhardinge said the event not only honours European migrant history but also revives beloved traditions.
“One of the things that makes Fremantle special is the influence of our European migrants on our industries and our cuisine, and this is a fantastic way to celebrate those cultures, alongside one of our most-loved annual events,” she said.
“It’s a story Fremantle keeps telling.
“For years, people in Fremantle have reminisced with me about the Sardine Festival, which was an absolute highlight and brought the traditional Italian ways of enjoying sardines to the Australian public.”
Among those reviving these culinary traditions are Jim Mendolia and Cam Allen, who will be bringing their recipes to the waterfront.
Mr Mendolia will be serving his family’s sardine dishes — “some marinated fillets and some crumbed. They’re going to be delicious.”
Mr Allen and his team will showcase freshly caught Western Rock Lobster, “caught that day and barbecued straight off the back of the boat”.
Mr Minutillo said the committee was also looking to the future.
“We’ve got a lot more younger people on the committee now,” he said.
“You have to. And they’ve got newer ideas. The older people, we’re sort of stuck in our ways, and we don’t like change too much.
“But these people are reintroducing the rope coiling and all these other activities.
Hopefully we put on another good Blessing and build up to our 80th in three years’ time.”
Plans are already underway for that milestone.
“Yes, we’re gonna get bishops or archbishops from Italy to come out, and we’re sort of planning a few more festivities and stuff for the year,” Mr Minutillo said.
“Hopefully we’ll just keep on growing up with the newer committee that we’ve got.”
Music will be another major draw, with the Italian Live Lounge showband performing favourites from Sanremo and the Joys of the Women choir celebrating Italian heritage in song.
Organisers say the weekend blends faith, food and family — a salute to Fremantle’s fishing roots and the migrant stories that shaped the city.
Fremantle Fishing Boat Harbour Sunday, October 26
by ZAK BEATTIE