Drive-in Italian festival to take place at TechCity on Oct. 11
The Ulster County Italian American Foundation will present a special mini-festival at TechCity on Sunday, Oct. 11. The drive-in festival will begin at 6:15 p.m. and reservations are required. Local dignitaries will honor Dr. John Ioia and Linda Saccoman as the 2020 Signore and Signora of the Year. Ioia is chairman of the foundation's By-Laws Commit...
Columbus Day Goes Virtual; Mother Cabrini to be Honored
COVID-19 is forcing everyone to change their Columbus Day plans. The Columbus Citizens Foundation, the organization that sponsors the annual parade in Manhattan, recently announced that the march will not be held in person but will instead be a virtual event featuring footage of previous parades and interviews with prominent Italian-Americans. The...
The Academy of American Poets Awards $1+ Million to Two Italian American Poets Laureate
The Academy of American Poets (AAP) has selected Maria Lisella, as a 2020 Poet Laureate Fellow; The 23 Fellows each receive $50,000 for a combined total of $1.1 million. The awards are given to honor poets of literary merit appointed to serve in civic positions and to enable them to undertake meaningful projects that engage their fellow residents w...
With Jazz We Insist: An Italian Matinee in New York
Stemming from a collaboration with Italian drummer, composer and bandleader, Luca Santaniello the Italian Cultural Institute is pleased to present: With Jazz We Insist: An Italian Matinee in New York, a series of Jazz concerts streamed live from the Institute hall. The series wishes to support the many Italian musicians living and working in New Yo...
Utica Radio Personality Shares Italian Culture Through the Air Waves
When you do what you love, you never have to work a day in your life. That's how Joe Putruele, who moved to Utica from Italy in his mid 20s back in 1963, feels every day. "I will be 87 on November 1," said Putruele. He's been on the air with different Utica area radio stations for 57 years, offering listeners Italian music and delightful commentary...
Keep our Christopher Columbus Statue
In the light of recant events, some misguided souls have started a movement to remove the long standing Statue of Christopher Columbus located on the corner of Mohawk St and the Parkway in Utica New York. For those of us that have a good handle of our history we believe the statue should be allowed to stay. In recent years many false versions of h...
Celebrate Italian Heritage: The Immigrant Experience
Sat, Oct 3, 2020 at 2:00 PM. Harrison Public 2 Library, Bruce Avenue, Harrison, NY, USA More info here. In celebration of Italian American Heritage Month, educator Toni McKeen will discuss what motivated mass emigration, what it was like to get to the port, and to travel across the ocean. You will see examples of the health inspection cards, telegr...
Celebrating Our Late September Patrons at Amunì
Members and friends of the Fratelli della Santa Fede (Brothers of the Holy Faith), or Sanfedisti for short, returned to Amunì Ristorante in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn Thursday evening to celebrate some of our September patrons. Our dinner for the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary earlier in the month was so enjoyable we jumped at the opportunity to go b...
"From Venice to the edge of the Universe: thirty years of discoveries with the Hubble Space Telescope”
"From Venice to the edge of the Universe: thirty years of discoveries with the Hubble Space Telescope” is an event part of #weareISSNAF, a series of webinars organized by the Italian Scientists & Scholars in North America Foundation, ISSNAF, in partnership with the Italian Embassy in Washington DC, the network of Italian Consulates and Italian Cult...
Celebrate Italian Heritage: La Dolce Vita Virtual Trivia Night
Fri, Oct 2, 2020 at 7:00 PM. Harrison Public Library, 2 Bruce Avenue, Harrison, NY, 10528. More info here. Celebrate Italian Heritage Month by joining us for this virtual Happy Hour & Trivia Night with author Carla Gambescia. Test your knowledge of all things Italian and raise a glass in honor of Italy. Carla is sharing with us some delicious recip...
"Killer": Christopher Columbus statue vandalized in Utica
A Utica resident is offering a reward for information leading to a suspect that vandalized the Christopher Columbus state in Utica overnight, according to a report from WKTV. The word "killer" was written across the statue in red spray-paint. Vincent Scalise, executive director of the Central New York Veteran's Outreach Center, is offering a $1,500...
New York Times Best-Selling Author Adriana Trigiani spills on her new book, movie, and all things Italian
New York Times Best-Selling author Adriana Trigiani is a beloved writer by millions of readers all over the world. Reading an Adriana Trigiani book is like hot cocoa on a snowy day: wonderful, heart warming, and cozy. Her characters are charming and hilarious, with rich backgrounds. The author, director, and playwright chatted with me about her new...