A Day with Giuliano Cecchinelli, Master Sculptor
On a glorious sunny spring day this past May, just before Mother’s Day, a group of Vermont Italian Cultural Association members and our guests gathered at the hilltop gates of Hope Cemetery in Barre, Vermont. We crowded close together encircling Giuliano Cecchi-nelli, the sole remaining Italian-born stone carver in Barre. Coming from more than 20 g...
It is still called Columbus Day in Massachusetts along with these 15 states
Columbus Day is in honor of the day Christopher Columbus landed in the Bahamas in 1492, but some people question the holiday’s origins. Many businesses and schools are closed for Monday’s holiday, which has taken on a new name by some states in recent years, to honor its true origins. There is an ongoing debate over whether or not to call the holid...
39th Columbus Day Weekend Festival held in Providence
Day three of the four-day, annual Columbus Day Weekend Festival in Providence saw quite the turnout. This yearly event, now in its 39th year, took place on Federal Hill and offered classic Italian cuisine, live music and of course, the parade. Federal Hill Commerce Association President Rick Simone said turnout exceeded what he’s seen in the last f...
Guest Essay: In defense of Columbus Day
This weekend I read and digested “Our View: It’s time we bid Columbus farewell” in the weekend edition of The Sun Chronicle (Oct. 12-13). The editorial makes the case that Columbus Day should be formally dropped and supplanted by Indigenous Peoples’ Day. This reader could not disagree more. The Sun Chronicle has published numerous pieces illustrati...
Cal Lord named Grand Marshal of Westerly-Pawcatuck (CT) Columbus Day Parade
The Rev. Dr. Cal Lord loves parades. Lord, pastor of Westerly's Central Baptist Church, has participated in any number of parades over the years, has professed his love of parades to readers of his popular weekly newspaper columns and he even helped establish a parade to honor local police, firefighters and emergency management personnel. Yet when...
Columbus Day and the Columbus Statue are alive and well in Massachusetts
Over the last several years there has been a concerted effort to marginalize Columbus and Columbus Day and replace it with Indigenous Peoples Day. All of this under the pretext that atrocities occurred because of Columbus coming to the Americas. History chronicles the actual events and the atrocities that took place post Columbus during the Cortez...
Rhode Island Italian American Hall of Fame to honor Admiral Franchetti
Chief of Naval Operations, four-star Admiral Lisa Franchetti will receive the Rhode Island Italian-American Hall of Fame’s 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award at RIIAHF Honors & A Salute to Sinatra on Saturday, Nov. 2, at The Vets in Providence. The Hall of Fame will also honor physician and author Dr. Edward Iannuccilli and former New England Patriot...
'That's Amore Italian Festival' Returns To Stamford This Weekend
Stamford (CT) will once again celebrate Italian heritage and Columbus Day this weekend at the 5th annual "That's Amore Italian Festival" from Mill River Park. Presented by UNICO Stamford, Blackstone Products, Napoli Foods and the Italian Center of Stamford, the event is free and will take place on Oct. 12 and Oct. 13 from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. "This fe...
The Wadsworth acquires important work of 14th-century Italian art
The Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art acquired an exceptionally rare 14th-century Italian painting, the Rasini Crucifixion, (c.1350), a foundational work of northern Italian art representing the impact of the new painting style set in motion a decade earlier by Giotto and his disciples—a decisive turning point in European art history. While the pain...
West Haven’s Italian American Of The Year To Be Honored At Regional Festival
The Greater New Haven Italian American Heritage Festival is sailing into West Haven, this year’s host community. The free festival will take place on the city’s historic Green from noon-4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12. The rain date is Sunday, Oct. 13. The cultural event celebrates the region’s deep-rooted Italian heritage with food trucks, live music, c...
Opera: Training and Performing in Vermont
Being a recipient of the Vermont Italian Cultural Association’s grant opened a great opportunity for my personal growth and an amazing experience for my career as an opera singer. With the generous help of the association I was able to attend the summer program “Classic Lyric Arts of 2024” in Novafeltria, Italy, and spend one month immersed in the...
Tradition grows at third annual Italian Heritage Parade in Worcester (MA)
Hundreds of people gathered in Worcester for the annual Shrewsbury Street Italian Heritage Parade and Festival. Now in its third year, the parade was lead by grand marshal Kevin Marcadante, president of Mercadante Funeral Home. Some may also know him for running the annual Memorial Day veteran flag placement at St. John Cemetery, or his work as com...