Frankie Longo Jr. is climbing in his father's footsteps. The 18-year-old senior at Neumann Goretti High School — and son of grease pole climbing legend Frank Sr. — will take his first crack at scaling the pig lard-slathered pole at the Italian Market Festival this weekend. Pole climbing is practically an Olympic sport for Philadelphians who celebra...

“Bigger, better, bolder than ever before!”  That’s the promise of the 2023 S. 9th Street Italian Market Festival which takes place from 10 a.m. to 6 p;m. on Saturday, May 20 and Sunday, May 21, 2023. The celebration of culture, gastronomy, art, and music runs along South 9th Street from Wharton to Fitzwater Streets. The nation’s oldest outdoor mark...

The South Ninth Street Italian Market Festival will continue its beloved tradition later this month, bringing food, fun, vendors and more to South Philadelphia. On May 20-21, the festival will wind its way through the entirety of the South Philadelphia shopping, dining and lifestyle district, including a holy procession of the Saints celebrating Sa...

Famiglia is everything! Like so many other Italian American descendants’ it was time to gather, reminisce, and celebrate our Italian roots. The opportunity to gather, reconnect, share and pass along family history is what a reunion is all about and to do so across multiple generations/family lines makes for a memorable event. On April 29, 2023 a “B...

If you’re a loyal listener to the Italian American Podcast, you’ll know that technology isn’t exactly an area we focus on week in and week out.  Artificial intelligence and chat-bots and whatnots might not exactly be our expertise, but for this week’s guest, the rapidly unfolding revolution in artificial intelligence has become a valuable tool in h...

Jerry Blavat, the Philadelphia radio DJ and performer best known to his fans as the "Geator with the Heater," will be posthumously honored with a musical tribute during the Italian Market Festival on Ninth Street next month. The annual block party at the nation's oldest outdoor market will take place from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 20 and S...

The cheesesteak, conceived in South Philadelphia, will be one of the main attractions at this year’s 9th Street Italian Market Festival, a highlight of the annual South Philly social calendar. It will host its first-ever cheesesteak competition, whose field of entrants will be determined by public nominations. Organizers said the shops will be invi...

Filitalia International, a nonprofit volunteer organization founded in 1987 by Dr. Pasquale Nestico, is proud to announce the election of Saverio Nestico as its 7th President during the bi-annual convention held on April 30th, 2023. Nestico was unanimously elected to this position, succeeding Paula Bonavitacola, who served as the 6th President of F...

The Consulate General of Italy in Philadelphia in May will observe a nine-day celebration dedicated to the theme of “sustainability.” In keeping with the theme, the celebration includes an exhibit of nature photographs by Flavia Loreto. The photos in the exhibition were captured in the woodlands of the mid-Atlantic region. An exhibit opening and re...

Iconic Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli has announced new US tour dates for November and December 2023. The run includes ten show dates in major cities across the nation, including San Antonio, Dallas, Louisville, Boston, Philadelphia, Hartford, Baltimore, with two nights in Hollywood, FL at Hard Rock Live, and a return to the iconic Madison Square Gar...