Antonio's Continues Cabbage Night Tradition

On Cabbage Night, there's no need to search the country for one of those slightly offbeat, small-town America traditions. 

Weather permitting, simply grab a non-perishable food item Wednesday night, head to Antonio’s Restaurant at 1185 Hopmeadow St., exchange the Foodshare bound donation for a roll of toilet paper and help cover the trees at the business. 

It's a Cabbage Night tradition dates back to the 1960s, when Antonio's was located in the Holloway Plaza. Steven Antonio's parents didn't want the kids to participate in toilet papering the old truss bridges in town. So they let the kids throw toilet paper near the restaurant, then located in the Holloway's Plaza . Soon others were involved and the event grew over the years. When the restaurant moved to its current location the tradition continued. 

"It's really grown into this very strange, unique activity," owner Steven Antonio said. 

In the 1990s he decided to ask participants to donate something for Foodshare. 

"It was just a nice way to put a charitable cause behind it," he said. 

This year Antonio from 4:30 to approximately 8:30 p.m. Antonio is looking to set a new record of 801 rolls. This year the restaurant will also debut two new custom-made launchers Antonio hopes will work even better than the balloon launchers they've been using for several years. As the trees have grown up over the years, the launchers help get the paper high enough to reach the tops of the trees.  

Antonio invites the public to come down and help. 

Antonio said there was a time in the 1980s when a local group petitioned to stop the activity. In recent years, however, he said people have been supportive for several reasons. 

"We are so diligent about picking it up," he said. "I think people appreciate the uniqueness of the event."