Wednesday, July 26th from 5:30pm to 8:30pm. $45* per Person. The Little Italy Association of San Diego Board of Directors and Staff are proud to present the 17th annual Little Italy State of the Neighborhood dinner reception. Join us on the rooftop of the new County of San Diego Parking Structure for an evening of food, entertainment and a presentation on the past, present, and future of San Diego's Little Italy; all while enjoying the breathtaking views of the San Diego Bay and Downtown skyline.

The evening starts off with a welcoming cocktail reception where local business owners, property owners, residents and honored dignitaries can socialize before dinner and presentations. Once dinner service begins, sample the flavors of San Diego Little Italy with a spread of food by local restaurants. Then grab a seat and enjoy welcoming remarks by local dignitaries and then Marco Li Mandri, the Chief Executive Administrator for the Association, will walk you through a presentation on the past, present, and future of San Diego's Little Italy.

PURCHASE TICKETS HERE

San Diego’s Little Italy is a stable ethnic business and residential community, since the late 1800's; Little Italy today represents Downtown San Diego’s oldest continuous neighborhood business district. At one time, more than 6,000 Italian families lived in Little Italy and toiled to build San Diego into the center of the world’s tuna industry.

With the decline of the tuna industry on the West Coast and the destruction of 35% of Little Italy due to the construction of Interstate-5 freeway, Little Italy suffered nearly thirty years of decline. In the early 1990’s, established property owners and family-run business owners decided to take their fate into their own hands.

Today our community is a model urban neighborhood in the City of San Diego, with new Italian American and non-Italian business owners alike maintaining and opening retail and professional spaces. Creative builders and architects have and are continually building beautiful new developments. The Little Italy Association of San Diego has been reviving, for almost 20 years, this once thriving neighborhood and telling the story of Little Italy to its visitors through public art displays and amazing piazzas. San Diego’s Little Italy is not only a model neighborhood for San Diego, but is also serving as a model for the handful of Little Italys remaining throughout the country.