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A group of Italian-Americans gathered on Sunday to ask Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot to return a statue of Christopher Columbus to a park. Two statues of Columbus were removed from Grant Park and Arrigo Park two years ago, after they became the focus of protests. "We deserve our statues back," said Diana Falco. "We cannot erase history and just take...

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Chicago has several pockets of Italian culture: the original Little Italy on Taylor Street, plus the area of West 24th Street and Oakley Avenue as well as a portion of North Harlem Avenue. NBC 5’s Food Guy Steve Dolinsky says there was also a vibrant corridor along Grand Avenue in West Town at one point. More recently, that area has been making a s...

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It has often been said that the American success story is based on inventing and introducing a product for which the public has been waiting. That American dream success story is the tale of the birth of Chicago’s stuffed pizza, the labor of love that became the story of Nancy and Rocco Palese. The Paleses’ lived most of their adult lives, making p...

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Emanuele Andrizzi said he’s honored and excited to conduct the Chicago premiere of Giuseppe Verdi’s rarely performed opera Il Corsaro, scheduled for July 22 and 24 at Northwestern University’s Cahn Auditorium, 600 Emerson St. Andrizzi, co-founder and Music Director of the Opera Festival of Chicago (OFC), which is staging the production, said the 18...

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It’s easy to make the argument that the annual feast is the soul of the Italian American neighborhood, and for the true feast aficionado, it’s the music that is the soul of the feast! And no two people know this better than this week’s guests, the talented musicians at the helm of two of Italian America’s most renowned feast bands, Marty Caliendo a...

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A bakery offering contemporary and classic Italian pastries is now open in Wicker Park with another location opening in Lakeview this weekend. Dolci Amori, 2010 W. Pierce Ave., is the latest project of Ciro Longobardo, who also owns Italian restaurant Piccolo Sogno in River West. The Wicker Park bakery opened Thursday, the first of four Longobardo...

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Movies and TV shows about the inner workings of the culinary world have let us peek into restaurant kitchens before. But FX’s new “The Bear” is the first to force you to work in one. As the series (streaming on Hulu) opens, the young chef Carmen Berzatto has left behind a soaring career, replete with awards like the James Beard Foundation’s Rising...

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The Italian-American community will salute Peter Silvestri at a retirement party on July 22 at Casa Italia. “Peter Silvestri has faithfully served the citizens of Elmwood Park and surrounding communities for nearly half a century,” says Casa Chairman Ron Onesti. “We invited the entire community to celebrate the life and career of one of our communi...

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The Italian American Human Relations Foundation in Chicago presents its 2nd Annual Venetian Night Boat Parade on the Chicago River. Join us for Chicago's Famous Venetian Night and honoring Secretary of State Jesse White. Chicago's Venetian Night brings the charm of the famous Venice boat parades along with decorated boats, entertainment, and a gran...

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The Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church and Shrine will celebrate the 129th anniversary of its devotion to the Blessed Mother on July 17. Festivities will begin with a 7:30 a.m. Mass in English and 9 a.m. solemn Mass in Italian, followed by a procession with the statue to a noon field Mass. A procession through the streets of the parish afterward will...

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