‘Soupy Fest’ Returns to Westerly, Celebrating the Links Between Spicy Sausage and Italian Heritage

Soupy sausage is a tradition among Italian-American families in Westerly. For a second year in a row, The United Theatre will hold a special event dedicated to the spicy cured meat

Over 300 people turned out for the inaugural Soupy Fest in Westerly in 2024.
Over 300 people turned out for the inaugural Soupy Fest in Westerly in 2024.
George Corrigan
Share
Over 300 people turned out for the inaugural Soupy Fest in Westerly in 2024.
Over 300 people turned out for the inaugural Soupy Fest in Westerly in 2024.
George Corrigan
‘Soupy Fest’ Returns to Westerly, Celebrating the Links Between Spicy Sausage and Italian Heritage
Copy

Get out the crackers and cheese, and uncork a nice bottle of red wine, because ‘Soupy Fest’ is returning to Westerly.

What’s soupy, you might be asking? Westerly soupy maker Joe Lombardo has your answer:

“In simplest terms, it’s cured pork with spices,” Lombardo said in a recent interview.

You could think of soupy as Westerly’s way of saying soppressata – the Italian sausage. And it’s something you can make at home if you know the process and what you need to work with.

“The key ingredient to any curing process is salt, and it has to be cured in the absence of air,” Lombardo said. “So thus, you’re mixing the other spices in, which varies, but it’s typically red pepper, hot pepper, and some paprika. They’re mixed in with the ground pork, and then they’re stuffed into a beef casing. Then they have to cure. Curing means they hang in a cool or cold environment – in our case, it’s a basement – for about 10 weeks.”

Making soupy is a tradition in Westerly. Italian immigrants in the town and their descendants have been making the spicy hard sausage for generations.

Last year, The United Theatre in downtown Westerly held the first ‘Soupy Fest.’ Demand was so high that tickets sold out in just 10 days. Actor Steve Schirripa from “The Sopranos” emceed the event, more than 300 people came out to sample different soupy recipes, and a first-place soupy was named. Joe Lombardo’s team placed third.

This story was reported by The Public’s Radio. You can read the entire story here.

A sweeping analysis reveals rising rates of obesity, chronic illness, and mental health issues among American children—signaling a broader societal crisis and casting doubt on current health policies
The award-winning Rhode Island author behind the Horizon series opens up about her childhood inspirations, RV adventures, MFA journey, and what’s next across her many literary identities
Massachusetts lawmakers are considering new legislation filed in response to an investigative series by The Public’s Radio that chronicled the lives of child laborers in New Bedford, the nation’s highest-grossing fishing port