Music, family and country: Wounded Scranton WWII veteran leads orchestra at age 99
At 18, Gene Passarella headed to war. At 99, the Purple Heart recipient heads to downtown Scranton, ready for his orchestra’s next performance. He taps his foot and signals for the orchestra to begin. “1, 2, 3, 4…” The trombones and trumpets blare, as Passarella conducts the band he has led since the 1950s. The crowd at La Festa Italiana in downtow...
Melissa McGill: Water Stories from the Venetian Lagoon to the Po River
Saturday, September 28th, 2024. 10-12 pm (doors open at 10:15). Light refreshment from GCA. The Athenaeum of Philadelphia - 219 S 6th St. Philadelphia, PA. FREE ENTRANCE but REGISTRATION is REQUIRED! PI-Philly, in collaboration with the Italian Consulate of Philadelphia, presents a lecture by artist Melissa McGill titled "Water Stories from the Ven...
Washington Italian Festival organizers to honor predecessors
When the eighth annual Washington Italian Festival gets underway this weekend at the Main Street Pavilion in Washington, PA, dedicated organizers from Primo Italiano Sons and Daughters of Italy No. 2800 will be in full force to ensure that the event is a success. The wholehearted effort, they say, builds upon the legacy of their dynamic predecessor...
Procession of Saint Lucy statue following Mass in Italian likely to become new La Festa Italiana tradition
As the 48th annual Italian Mass concluded on Sept. 1, 2024, a new tradition was born. For the first time, a procession of faithful led a statue of Saint Lucy from the Cathedral of Saint Peter about a block away to Courthouse Square in downtown Scranton, to kick off the third day of La Festa Italiana. “We’re all about tradition,” Chris DiMattio, La...
NIAF is proud to announce Carlo Messina as one of our 49th Anniversary Gala Honorees!
Carlo Messina is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Intesa Sanpaolo, a role he has held since 2013. A distinguished figure in the banking industry, Messina began his career at Banca Nazionale del Lavoro and has since climbed the ranks through various leadership roles across Italy’s top financial institutions. In addition to his pr...
Tourism and Economic Development, Puglia at the Italian Festival in Hoboken, USA
The American dream and the inseparable bond with the motherland are at the heart of the celebrations held every year in September on the outskirts of New York City, and 2024 has been an unforgettable event for Italian Americans who dream of traveling to Italy. It is a phenomenon that goes by the name of Roots Tourism, and the traditional Italian Fe...
Italian Festival Set To Take Place In Englishtown
The Italian Festival is coming to Englishtown. From Sept. 13—Sept. 15, the Italian American Association of Monmouth County will host their festival at Sanford Park. Featuring over 10 major rides by Majestic Midways, the festival will have games, food, crafters, and more for people to enjoy with free parking and admission. Purchases made at the fest...
Hungry? Fuhgeddaboudit! These Are Hoboken’s Best Italian Bakeries, Delis and Restaurants
Known as New Jersey’s Little Italy, Hoboken has long had a vibrant Italian-American community. It’s also celebrated as the birthplace of famous singer and actor Frank Sinatra, who was born there to Italian-American immigrants. The legacy from the Italians who first settled in Hoboken in the 1880s can still be found throughout the Mile Square City,...
'We can see the ties:' Delegation from Felitto, Italy to recognize sister city bond with Old Forge, PA
Antonio Sabetta, council president of Felitto, Italy, is fascinated by the community those who left Felitto for the U.S. have built in Old Forge. “Today we’re here to honor ancestors and to formalize the tie that our communities have,” he said in Italian in the council chambers of Old Forge’s borough building. His niece, Francesca Sabetta, translat...
Filmmaker says Letterkenny Chapel, Italian POW documentary changed his life
Filmmaker Stephen Mancini set out to tell a simple story about a small chapel on an Army base in rural Franklin County and the Italian POWs who built it during World War II. Instead, he traveled the world and made a documentary that changed his life. The journey toward making "Fedelta. Soldier. Prisoner," which premieres Friday at Capitol Theatre i...
NJ Author Marlana DeMarco Hogan Lives a Life of Love, Learning, and Literature
In New Jersey, a talented author has been weaving a tapestry of stories that celebrate family, tradition, and the beauty of childhood. Marlana DeMarco Hogan, a retired Italian teacher and passionate storyteller, has written a series of five children’s books that transport readers through time and place, from the sun-kissed hills of Italy to the san...
NIAF is proud to announce Admiral Lisa Franchetti as one of our 49th Anniversary Gala Honorees!
Admiral Franchetti is the Chief of Naval Operations for the United States Navy. She is not only a proud Italian American, but the first women to ever serve on the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Admiral Franchetti’s distinguished 39-year career includes combat experience, leadership of a carrier strike group deployment, and senior strategy roles. On top of...