Stella Maris Kayak Procession & Block Party
Friday, August 8, 2025
7pm, Lake Elizabeth
Back by Popular Demand!
Block Party on Lake Elizabeth Drive and Lighted Kayak procession on Lake Elizabeth at Sundown
The Red Lily Pond Project Association brings this celebration to Craigville again this summer! Come for the beauty of the kayak/canoe procession, the delicious “p” food and drink, the music of Pavarotti in the air, and the company of your friends and neighbors. Plentiful Italian themed snacks, chilled prosecco and Pellegrino, all donated by RLPPA board members and many other friends of RLPPA will be served on Lake Elizabeth Drive. A crew of kayakers and canoers will provided the lighted procession around Lake Elizabeth at sundown.
This special event is modeled on an Italian tradition of honoring “Our Lady, the Star of the Sea” with a celebration on the water. Our Lady, Star of the Sea is an ancient title for Mary, the mother of Jesus. The words Star of the Sea are a translation of the Latin title Stella Maris. This event represents our local celebration of our ponds, those who care for them, and the sharing of their beauty and importance to our community with everyone.
History of Stella Maris
In the small Italian port town of Camogli, Stella Maris, one of the dearest festivities to the locals, is celebrated on the first Sunday in August. The first Friday in August, as in Camogli two days later, the Red Lily Pond Project will sponsor a solemn procession of kayaks and canoes, sporting lights on their bows, in our beloved Lake Elizabeth, with Italian music (Puccini or Pavarotti, or both) wafting over the waters, and with Prosecco, prosciutto, and perhaps pepperoni, pancetta, and some other Italian treats available along Lake Elizabeth Drive for onlookers. No fees will be charged for the event.
In Camogli, the festival dates back to the 15th century and is dedicated to the "Stella di Mare", the title by which fishermen venerate the Madonna. Translated literally, stella maris means “the Star of the Sea.”
Buono appetito, e buona fortuna.
Stella Maris in Camogli, Italy
(photo on town tourist webpage)
