Thousands of Chicagoans gathered in the Loop on Monday for the city’s 72nd annual Columbus Day parade. The celebration of Italian American heritage featured floats, marching bands, singers, and dancers descending State Street. The parade’s theme this year was “Bridging gaps, celebrating our heritage, and protecting our culture.” Watching the festi...
READ MOREThe Italian American community in Chicago came together to celebrate their heritage with the 72nd annual Columbus Day Parade. The day began with a mass at The Shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii, followed by a poignant procession in Arrigo Park, where a wreath-laying ceremony honored Italian American war veterans. The grand parade stepped off around no...
READ MOREBefore Monday's Columbus Day Parade, Italian Americans and Native Americans in Chicago are trying to come together to open a dialogue over the controversy that has surrounded the holiday for years. The two groups are trying to bridge the gap when it comes to Columbus Day celebrations. The debate over the history surrounding the holiday has gone on...
READ MOREThe Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans (JCCIA) is proud to announce a collaboration with members of the Native American Community during the 2024 Columbus Day Parade on Monday, October 14, 2024. “This is an initiative a long Nme coming,” said Ron Onesti, President of the JCCIA. “We have been working together with tribal communities to dispe...
READ MOREABC7, Chicago's most-watched television station, is celebrating the city's vibrant Italian American community, with the broadcast of the 72nd annual Columbus Day Parade. The live event is hosted by ABC7 sports anchor and "Windy City Weekend" host Ryan Chiaverini, reporter Liz Nagy and meteorologist Greg Dutra, reporting all the festivities from the...
READ MOREThe skies above the Chicago lakefront will be painted green, white and red this month when the Frecce Tricolori pays an aerial visit. The legendary military aerobatic team will put on a show at 9 a.m. on Saturday, July 27, to the east of Navy Pier, followed by a reservations-only reception. The event is being hosted by the Joint Civic Committee of...
READ MORE“Mountainmen: Gothic Line 1945”. Des Plaines Theatre • 1476 Miner St. Des Plaines, IL. 7:30 p.m. • Thursday, June 20 Free seating • RESERVATIONS REQUIRED here. It took Allied forces nearly two brutal years from July 1943 to May 1945 to topple Mussolini’s regime and drive Hitler’s forces from the Italian peninsula during World War II. Key to their s...
READ MOREJo Ann has been immersed in the activities of the community since birth, thanks to the unwavering involvement of her father, Joseph R. Salerno. “My father was a member of every Italian society, club and lodge in the Chicago area,” she fondly recalls. “It’s only natural that I followed his example of promoting Italian values and traditions.” One of...
READ MOREA Chicago politician is thinking twice about renaming Columbus Drive for Barack Obama after outraged Italian-Americans questioned why the former president should be honored “at the expense of one ethnic group.” The Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans had blasted the proposed rebranding as “offensive” last week, with president Ron Onesti desc...
READ MOREThe Italian Air Force is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. To commemorate this momentous occasion, the Aeronautica Militare has assembled a sweeping exhibit that will be available for a private viewing on Nov. 21 in the Chandelier Room at Casa Italia in Stone Park. The exhibit comprises 36 4-foot by 8-foot panels, organized into a timeli...
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