Chicago Columbus Day Parade returns after 2020 cancellation due to COVID pandemic
The annual Columbus Day Parade is returning this year to downtown Chicago. It was canceled last fall and replaced with a car parade because of the COVID pandemic. The Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans introduced this year's queen and court Wednesday night. The parade is at 12:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 11 on State Street from Wacker Drive to Van...
Onesti Entertainment, The Dick Biondi Film and Reel Stories Productions to present The Dick Biondi Big 89 at Arcada Theatre!
Onesti Entertainment, The Dick Biondi Film and Reel Stories Productions will host The Dick Biondi Big 89! Birthday Bash, a birthday celebration and fundraiser on Sunday, September 19th starting at 2pm at the Arcada Theatre in Saint Charles. Headlining the event is 1960’s rock and roll music icon Felix Cavaliere of The Rascals. Additional performan...
Support Chicago's Little Italy and this New Mural
Please help Save Chicago's Little Italy with the costs associated to pay Art by Joseph to create this mural on the brick wall facing the piazza on Taylor and Bishop. Carlo Vaniglia and I have hired the painter and secured use of the wall by the owner of the building to have this amazing mural created. This mural will be painted on the brick wall ea...
Brio Italian Grille, closed since March 2020, reopening under new ownership
Brio Italian Grille has reopened at Legacy Village under new ownership. The restaurant – which Florida-based Earl Enterprises acquired in June 2020 – had closed in March 2020. Brio’s previous holding company, FoodFirst Global Restaurants, had shut down multiple locations as the coronavirus pandemic took hold. Hours will be 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday...
Youngstown festival celebrates Italian history with games, food
As festivals make their comeback, there’s one on Youngstown’s north side this weekend that may be small in size — running only about two blocks — but has a huge history and attracts quite the crowd. It was 30 years ago, the streets of Brier Hill neighborhood lit up for the first time with the Brier Hill Festival. “This was where the first Italian i...
Sauce for a good cause: Local Italian restaurants compete at Southern Park Mall
Southern Park Mall in Boardman hosted a new Italian event Sunday night, bringing together restaurants in the Valley as well as the community. Ten local Italian restaurants brought their best to the first Sunday Sauce Showdown — a new event to determine who has the best sauce in the Valley. Restaurants have been busy preparing for the event. “We bro...
Band of Bocce Brothers: Local players to compete in Cleveland Challenge Cup of Bocce
Smiling broadly, Francesco Scavello fixed fresh cups of cappuccino for a few of his teammates Friday afternoon then sat down at his dining room table, next to his wife, Debbie, to talk bocce. On Thursday, Scavello and his teammates — from both the Bocce Club and the Hilltop Social Club — will embark on a journey west to play in the 37th Annual Clev...
DiMaria to preside over police association
Retired Chicago police officer Frank DiMaria has been elected president of the Italian American Police Association. An IAPA member since 1997, he previously served as second vice president. Founded in 1964, the IAPA organizes and advocates on behalf of Italian Americans in law enforcement, and serves as a social, professional and charitable outlet...
Sicilian Street Food from a Ghost Kitchen: Sfera
“We started at farmers markets about three years ago with our arancini-stuffed risotto balls—which is our specialty,” says Daniela Vitale, who runs Sfera in Avondale with her partner, Steven Jarczyk. “My family is from Sicily, and I spent every summer there from the age of sixteen to twenty-five. Starting at farmers markets [in Logan Square, Wicker...
Barbanente to head DuPage school district
Dr. Jean Barbanente has been appointed interim superintendent of DuPage High School District 88, which encompasses Addison Trail and Willowbrook high schools. She is the district’s first female superintendent as well as the first to speak multiple languages. Barbanente has been with District 88 for more than 25 years and worked with past superinten...
Lyric Opera, CSO gear up for new seasons
The Lyric Opera of Chicago and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra have been champing at the bit to return to live performances, and the wait is finally over. Both musical institutions will launch their 2021-22 seasons in September. Enrique Mazzola will begin his inaugural season as music director at Lyric, having served in an interim capacity for the l...
Cleveland Cinematheque to spotlight Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini in upcoming series
The Cleveland Cinematheque will celebrate Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini with its upcoming movie series “Fellini 101.” The series, set for much of September and October, is a part of the “Federico Fellini 100 Tour” in the U.S. and Canada, according to a press release. The tour marks what would have been Fellini’s 101st birthday (the filmmaker,...