Stella Maris Kayak Procession & Block Party
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 every August! 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.
The Rev. Bill McKinney provided a very special invocation (August 2025), written by Pope John II
Mary, Star of the Sea, light of every ocean,
guide seafarers across all dark and stormy seas
that they may reach the haven of peace and light
prepared in Him who calmed the sea.
As we set forth upon the oceans of the world
and cross the deserts of our time, show us, O Mary,
the fruit of your womb, for without your Son we are lost.
Pray that we will never fail on life’s journey,
that in heart and mind, work and deed,
in days of turmoil and in days of calm,
we will always look to Christ and say,
“Who is this that even wind and sea obey him?”
Our Lady of Peace, pray for us!
Bright Star of the Sea, guide us!
Our Lady, Star of the Sea, pray for seafarers, pray for us.
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)
