Bobby Agrippino, who runs the North End Boston Food Tour and is Mirabella’s lifelong friend, said, “I bring my people from the food tour, and I introduce them to a lot of the stands. ... And I definitely introduce them to Ricky, because he’s the King of Calamari.”

North End natives are familiar with the sights, sounds, and tastes of the Italian festivals. Michael Coppola, 77, grew up in the North End, so he knows “every nook and cranny” of the area. He now lives in Florida, but almost every summer, he comes back to be with family.

As a kid, he used to sell corn on the cob with his cousin during the festivals. He recalls hollering, “Get your corn on the cob!” outside his house.“The more noise you make, the more corn you sell,” Coppola said.

But on Friday evening, he wasn’t making much noise, or selling any corn. Under an empty tent, he settled into a chair, transported back to his childhood, as he watched the crowds drift by. 

source Jessica Ma BOSTON GLOBE