The September 1971 local news in Fargo, North Dakota, had turned its attention to an Italian invasion downtown. A good one, of course (like the British one seven years earlier which brought the Beatles to our shores). This was a renaissance of art, music and food as members of an Italian trade delegation immersed themselves in Fargo to teach American Midwesterners what it meant to be Italian.

From Sept. 17 to Oct. 9, Herbst Department Store at 16 Broadway held its “Salute to Italy” in cooperation with the Italian Ministry for Foreign Trade and the Italian Government Travel Office. Shoppers had a chance to view the latest in Italian fashion and watch Italian artisans demonstrate glass blowing, wood carving, jewelry design and ceramic making.