Norwich Italian Heritage group will celebrate 25 years with fireworks
By Ryan Blessing The Italian Heritage and Cultural Committee of Norwich is planning for its 25th annual Taste of Italy, to be from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sept. 10 at Howard T. Brown Memorial Park. Frank Jacaruso, president of the group, explained the significance of the event as well as upcoming events being planned for the fall. What is new a...
Where to Find Italy in America: Boston's North End
We continue our series "Where to Find Italy in America", part of the Italian-American section, devoted to Italian-American communities in the United States: where they live, where they gather, where to find a little bit of Italy in different U.S. cities and states. Boston's North End, once the core of the city's 'Little Italy', has managed...
Q&A WITH SUSAN TEJADA, AUTHOR OF “IN SEARCH OF SACCO & VANZETTI”
Two Italian immigrants, Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti, were arrested in May 1920 in Brockton, Massachusetts. They were charged with murdering two guards in nearby South Braintree one month earlier, and escaping with fifteen thousand dollars in payroll cash that the guards had been delivering to a shoe factory. Sacco, a skilled worker at anot...
North End laureate, Part II
Two years after the death of his father, John Ciardi moved with his family from the North End out to the "country" (i.e., Medford) and into a house they shared with Aunt Christina and Uncle Alec. Together, the families struggled to make ends meet. Echoing the lives of many North Enders, Christina worked at Schraff's as a candy dipper while Alec wa...
Cambridge Changes Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples' Day
The Cambridge City Council has voted unanimously to change Christopher Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples' Day. Councilor Nadeem Mazen, who proposed the idea, said it is important to reclaim October 11 as a day for Native Americans. Mazen said there was an overwhelming level of support from students, residents, workers, culture agents and thou...
Fascinating facts about Boston’s North End feasts
By Marisa Dellatto > 1903 — Year the first feast, for Madonna della Grazie, took place in the North End > 1910 — Year the Fisherman's Feast, the longest-running feast, started > 1919 — Year St. Anthony's Feast, the largest Italian religious festival in New England, began > 10 — Number of feasts celebrated in the North End at...
Braintree to host IACO guest speaker presentation
Rosalind A. Cuschera, author of "Journey from San Rocco," will be the guest speaker at the Italian-American Cultural Organization meeting at 7 p.m. Nov. 7 at Grove Manor, 160 Grove St., Braintree. Cuschera's book was published in 2013, and she received an Honorable Mention Award from The New England Book Festival. The book begins in 1918 w...
Sons of Italy Pulls Out of North End Columbus Day Parade Saying Revere is More Italian
by Matt Conti The Order Sons of Italy in America, Massachusetts Grand Lodge (OSIAMA), has made a late decision not to march in Boston's North End 2013 Columbus Day Parade. Citing a changing demographic, the Italian-American organization told the North End organizers that it will instead march in the City of Revere this year. "They really...
How Hugo and Verdi Shocked the Censors
In partnership with the French Cultural Center and Dante Alighieri Society of Massachusetts, explore the story of Rigoletto from its French origins in the Victor Hugo play Le roi s'amuse to Verdi's adaptation for the Italian opera stage. See performances of selections from both works, discover the political scandal surrounding the original...
Columbus Day celebration kicks off on Federal Hill
by Annie Shalvey The annual Columbus Day Parade on Federal Hill in Providence kicked off on Sunday. Eyewitness News is a proud sponsor of the event and many members of our team took part in the celebration. Atwells Avenue isn't just any old parade route. All of the usual suspects were part of this year's celebration – from po...
Exotic Italian sports cars rev up for annual Concorso on June 30
More than 10,000 spectators and car owners from across the Eastern seaboard are expected to descend upon LaSalle Road in West Harford Center on Sunday, June 30, for the 13th Annual Ferrari and Friends Concorso, presented by the Ferrari Club of America-New England Region. More than 130 Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Alfa Romeos, Maseratis and othe...
IACO Invites Everyone to ‘Immersion in Italian Culture Day’ — October 6
When: Sunday, October 6, 2013 — 1 to 5 p.m.Where: Archbishop Williams High School —80 Independence Ave., Braintree MA [map] Sponsored by the Italian American Cultural Organization of Braintree, the Immersion in Italian Culture Day will celebrate food, art, music and dance... all from Italy!