The anticipation is felt in the autumn air for the celebration of St. Joseph Catholic Church’s 37th annual October Festival on Saturday, Oct. 6. This year’s festival theme: “The Year of the Youth” will continue with activities focusing on educating, entertaining, and feeding community youth and those who are “young at heart.”

The St. Joseph Catholic Church Hospitality Committee has sponsored October Festival for 37 years as a way of first bringing Meridian’s East End Community together for fellowship, and second as a fundraiser for helping families, especially during illnesses/bereavement, and church missions.

In 1981, St. Joseph’s priest, father John C. Kersten, SVD, discussed with a church member, Bernice Pringle, the October Festival plans for reconnecting with the East End Community, in fellowship, food, and fun – activities that were used since 1910 when the St. Joseph Catholic Church and School (Grades 1-12) were established in the Meridian East End.

On Saturday, Oct. 6, the White Elephant Sale is scheduled from 7 a.m.-noon. Activities start at 10:15 a.m. with Rev. Augustine Palimattam, the pastor, blessing the animals in memory of St. Francis of Assisi’s Feast Day. The animals need to be on a leash and leave before the festival begins at 11 a.m.

Dinner plates will be sold from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. prepared by the St. Joseph Catholic Church’s men group, The Knights of Peter Claver. There will be catfish fillet plates, $8, delicious “mouth-watering” rib plates, $8, and rib slabs, $20. You can purchase tickets and preorder rib slabs for your tailgate parties from a St. Joseph Church member or the St. Patrick’s/St. Joseph’s Office (601) 693-1321.

The church’s Hispanic community prepares authentic Hispanic food such as tamales and nachos. The Country Store includes homemade cakes, pies, cookies and canned goods, such as chow-chow, salsa, and pepper sauce, etc. Also, there will be food that children like to eat such as hamburger and chips.

The many different “Year of the Youth” Octoberfest will include activities such as:

• 1 p.m. the Meridian High School Drumline.

• The sixth annual Health Expo: breast cancer awareness: dental health; mental health; vision, etc. from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

• College Prep (for the ACT, hand-outs, etc.); HBCU (Historically Black College & Universities) visitor are asked to wear their school colors.

• Fun activities and games for all children.

• The Catholic Youth Organization will sponsor team activities such as volleyball, basketball, etc.

• Youth “Make & Take” art activities.

• The Max exhibits.

St. Joseph Catholic Church is located on 1914 19th Ave., in the Meridian East End Community.