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-Buona Beef gathered a team of volunteers at the Cornerstone Community Center in the Sheridan Park neighborhood and cooked up 75 pounds of Italian beef and spread it across 109 feet of bread to set a world record for the World's Longest Italian Beef Sandwich, according to the WORLD RECORD ACADEMY. "A Chicago eatery cooked up 75 pounds of Italian be...

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From the Ariston stage, Carlo Conti announced live the launch of the 2025 edition of the Sanremo Giovani World Tour, dedicated to new young Italian music talents. The Sanremo Giovani World Tour will feature Alex Wise, Maria Tomba, Settembre, Vale LP & Lil Jolie. The four participants were revealed during the second episode of the Festival, and thei...

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Among all the athletic luminaries honored at the 2024 Chicago Italian-American Sports Hall of Fame ceremony gala in November, Josh Colaizzi was the only one too young to enjoy a celebratory glass of wine. Colaizzi, 17, took home the evening’s Future Star Award for all the baseball accomplishments he’s managed to rack up as a teen. Colaizzi, a cente...

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The youngest of four sons, Eric Marella was born in Melrose Park to Dominic and GraceAnn (Russo) Marella. He grew up surrounded by family on both sides. His father’s parents emigrated from Marche and Tuscany, and his mother’s family from Basilicata. The family sat down to Sunday dinners of pasta with neck bones and sausage, never knowing who might...

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The name of this eatery is Finuccio and Sons Italian Deli & Catering in Schaumburg. I was sitting around my house, looking for something to eat for lunch, and decided to Google Italian delis in my area. One highly reviewed deli popped up, called Finuccio and Sons Italian Deli. I thought, "Let’s give this place a try and see how it turns out." When...

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The Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans honored five elected officials at its second annual Government Relations Luncheon on Nov. 19 at the Des Plaines Theatre. The event was spearheaded by JCCIA President Ron Onesti, with Enza Ranieri, a recipient of last year’s awards, chairing the committee. More than 150 organization presidents, elected...

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On Nov. 10, Com.It.Es (Comitato degli italiani all’estero) organized a pilgrimage to the town of Cherry, Illinois, on the 115th anniversary of the 1909 mine disaster that took the lives of 250 souls, 73 of whom were Italian immigrants. A group of 28 in the company of Italian Consul General Mario Bartoli traveled by bus to the tiny town 100 miles so...

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The National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame celebrated its 45th annual gala on Nov. 15 at Belvedere Banquets in Elk Grove Village. More than 700 attendees witnessed the induction of NBA star Chris Corchiani, ESPN national correspondent Sal Paolantonio, NFL pioneer Bruno Banducci, wrestling great Lou Albano, baseball pioneer Philomena Gianfran...

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Wednesday February 12 2025, 11:30 (Local time). Institute of Design at Illinois Institute of Technology, 3137 S Federal Street, Chicago, IL. Free with registration here. The Consulate General of Italy and the Italian Cultural Institute of Chicago present the IX edition of the Italian Design Day (IDD). Over millennia of human evolution, food has tra...

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Stefani Restaurant Group, a cornerstone of Chicago’s hospitality scene, is celebrating the success of Stefani’s Bottega Italiana, a specialty quick-service Italian shop and pasta lab nestled at 6075 N. Milwaukee Avenue in Gladstone Park. Celebrating its one-year anniversary, the bottega isn’t just another Italian eatery—it’s a culinary experience....

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