St. Helena's Italian heritage festival set for Oct. 7

 St. Helena's Italian heritage festival set for Oct. 7

St. Helena's Italian Heritage Month celebration, Festa Italiana, will be from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, at Lyman Park.

The event will feature food, wine from local Italian-owned wineries, Italian music, the raising of the Italian flag, and the singing of the Italian national anthem by Katie Hopgood-Sculatti.

Organizer Anthony Micheli is seeking all types of Italian vehicles — cars, motorcycles, farm implements — to be displayed for the event.

Italian-owned wineries who haven't participated in the past but would like to be part of the event should contact Micheli at 707-486-3832. Read more here.

COLUMBUS DAY FESTIVAL in Sacramento October 12th

 COLUMBUS DAY FESTIVAL

CELEBRATE OUR RICH HISTORY, CULTURE AND

TRADITIONS PROUDLY! 

In many Cities in California including Sacramento,  Columbus Day is also Italian American Heritage Day! This year they are both recognized on October 12, which is also the date Columbus discovered America.

Columbus Day is not only a national holiday but is a recognized holiday in many cities and states across the nation. When we celebrate Columbus Day we are celebrating the arrival of Western Civilization to the Western Hemisphere and our own arrival on these shores. The Columbus holiday has long been associated with Italian Americans as a symbol of their national pride and identity and their enormous contributions to America. The holiday is celebrated throughout Italian-America with parades and festivals. It is the one day of the year that Italian Americans across the nation celebrate their heritage together.

ITALIAN CULTURAL SOCIETY PRESENTS 

"ITALIAN HERITAGE & COLUMBUS DAY CELEBRATION

AT THE ITALIAN CENTER"

SUNDAY - OCTOBER 8, 2023

12:00 - 5:00pm  

Admission: $40-Adult / $20-Child 6-16

at the Italian Center, Carmichael

More here.

Bella Vita Fest: Celebration of Italian Culture, Featuring Chalk Art, Wine, Food, Music and More

 

Bella Vita Fest:  Celebration of Italian Culture, Featuring Chalk Art, Wine, Food, Music and More

October 21 & 22, 2023
11am - 5pm
San Diego's Little Italy

Bella Vita Fest, produced by the ArtWalk San Diego team, has been on the drawing table since 2018.  The festival promises a unique experience for attendees.  View more than 50 chalk art paintings being created live before your eyes on the pavement.  Treat yourself to delicious Italian wines and food.  Enjoy live music with an Italian flair.  Mark your calendar now and plan to attend October 21 and 22 in San Diego's Little Italy.  Tickets are on sale here. 

And read more about it here.

San Diego's Italian Church Holds Annual Festa & Blessing of the Fishing Fleet

 

Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church, an Italian National Parish in San Diego will hold its "Marian" or "Our Lady of the Rosary Festa." There is a special Mass where all parish societies and groups carry their banners in the opening procession. In years past the Bishop of the Diocese of San Diego, now a Cardinal, has celebrated the Mass. After Mass they, along with the public who are welcomed to join, process or parade through the streets of the Little Italy neighborhood down to the harbor. There, along the Embarcadero, a boat is blessed, and fireworks are set off. The procession then parades back to the church where there is a benediction and doves are set free signifying peace. Afterwards there is a complimentary luncheon in the Parish Hall.

Our Lady of the Rosary Festa commemorates the October 7th victory of the combined Christian European fleets of the Holy League of 1571 over the Ottoman navy at the Battle of Lepanto and was originally called the "Feast of Our Lady of Victory."

Below are photos from past Festas. 

What: Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary

Where: Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church

1668 State Street San Diego, CA 92101

(619)234-4820

OLRSD.org

When: Sunday, October 1st, 2023

11:00 am Rosary

12:00 Mass

1:30 Procession

Past Festas:

Festa 2018 Album

Festa 2017 Album

Festa 2016 Album

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The Los Angeles Italian Festival 2023

 

The Los Angeles Italian Festival

The Los Angeles Italian Festival kicks off Italian Heritage Month in LA each year at Hollywood & Highland, celebrating all things Italian in the City of LA.

Come and be a part of the incredible Italian festival happening in Los Angeles.

Tickets

Tickets for The Los Angeles Italian Festival can be booked here.

Date & Time

Sat Oct 07 2023 at 12:00 pm to 10:00 pm
(GMT-07:00)

Location

The Los Angeles Italian Festival, 1651 N Highland Avenue, Los Angeles, United States

90th Festa Italia to Return to the Custom House Plaza – Monterey State Historic Park in Downtown Monterey on September 8-10, 2023

 90th Festa Italia to Return to the Custom House Plaza – Monterey State Historic Park in Downtown Monterey on September 8-10, 2023

Monterey, CA. July 2023. Don’t miss the award-winning 90th Festa Italia, celebrating Monterey’s Italian heritage and cultural traditions. Join us for this special festival honoring the local fishermen of Monterey, both past and present. This event’s free entertainment line-up, described below, is unrivaled!

This popular family friendly free event shares the sights, sounds, food, and culture that make the Italian experience so special. It is a celebrated festival each year drawing locals and visitors from the Bay Area and beyond. It features three days of authentic Italian cuisine, great music, dancing, fun and friendship. The delicious flavors of Italy are enjoyed by attendees with tasty food offerings (for purchase) including Calamari, Steak and Sausage Sandwiches, Pasta, Arancini, Cannoli and more, as well as wine, beer, sodas, and water. There is also an array of Italian and Festa Italia-themed merchandise as well as vendors selling crafts and clothing. NEW this year will be an array of special 90th Anniversary Festa Italia merchandise.

The first Festa Italia in Monterey was celebrated in 1933 when a statue of Santa Rosalia, the patron saint of Sicilian fishermen, was donated to the San Carlos Cathedral. Sicilian fishermen would pray to their patron saint for a safe journey and bountiful harvest. It is important... more here...

Read More

What: 90th Festa Italia held by the Festa Italia Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization

Festival Entry Cost: Free

Where: 20 Custom House Plaza – Monterey State Historic Park, Downtown Monterey

When: Friday – Sunday, September 8-10, 2023

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2nd Annual Casino di Piazza in Little Italy San Diego FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2023

 

Casino di Piazza

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PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS TODAY!

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2023 FROM 7:00PM TO 11:00PM

The Little Italy Association invites you to join us as we transform the Piazza della Famiglia into an exquisite Italian garden casino experience for this year’s 2nd Annual Casino di Piazza on Friday, September 15th from 7:00pm to 11:00pm.

In partnership with Vici Luxury Rentals, the evening will feature craft cocktails, light hors d'oeuvres, live music, Blackjack, Craps and Roulette under the stars. Dress to impress in your very best cocktail or black-tie attire as you enjoy every detail carefully curated to give guests the most authentic Italian garden casino experience. Upon arrival guests will be transported to the beautiful, manicured gardens of Milan with the beautiful greenery lined walls and classic Italian statues set in the heart of the Piazza della Famiglia.

Casino di Piazza has two admission opportunities including...read more here.. 

Julian Grape Stomp Festa September 2, 2023

 

Julian Grape Stomp Festa

September 2, 2023
11 am to 5 pm – at Menghini Winery

1150 Julian Orchards Dr

Returning in 2023 – Please join us as we celebrate our 26th anniversary of the Julian Grape Stomp Festa! We are excited to be continuing the old-world tradition of kicking off your shoes, rolling up your pant legs and letting tons of blessed grapes squish beneath your feet!

Regular Admission – $25.00

Includes Wine Glass & One Tasting (for those 21+), Stomping & Great Entertainment
Additional Tastings are $1.00 each 
2023 will also include additional shaded seating areas

Children 6-20 $7.00

More here

San Diego's Italian Church Celebrates 100th Anniversary

 

100TH ANNIVERSARY TRIDIUM

AUGUST 17 –19, 2023

For 100 years Our Lady of the Rosary has served as a beacon of hope to her members of Faith.  She has served as the center of a neighborhood to celebrate faith, family, community and traditions.  This August we celebrate the community and the Church that saved and re-built Little Italy.  

Join us for a community Triduum that culminates with an evening party in front of our historic Church celebrating those that came before us, sacrificed to build our parish and continue to build and preserve our community. MORE HERE

San Diego's Italian Church Celebrates the Feast of Saint Joseph

SAN DIEGO- Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church in San Diego's Little Italy is not only a designated Italian National Parish but is also home to a Saint Joseph's Society, thus every year the parish has a big celebration for the Feast of Saint Joseph, also known as La Festa di San Giuseppe, or La Tavola di San Giuseppe, Saint Joseph's Table. There is a special Mass with a presentation from the society afterwards, a procession, and a luncheon in the hall. I could not make it this year however, I am sure it was celebrated with a heavy heart having just lost our beloved pastor, Fr. Louis Solcia (see here). 

History 

"There are several versions of how the Table came to be. Some sources date it to events in 1262 or 1268. One of the most-repeated accounts describes a famine or drought in Sicily leading landowners or farmers to promise St. Joseph that if his intercession brought about rain, they would serve a free meal to the local vergineddi (little needy children) or vicchiareddi (old people). This is reflected even today in the practice of all donations or proceeds from the meal being given to the poor, or a charity." Read More Here.

I am not a professional videographer, but you may still enjoy the cell phone video below of parts of the 2019 St. Joseph's Day Mass at Our Lady of the Rosary, San Diego. This is a short clip of the opening procession. You can view the full video here.

There are more photos here. And you can read about St. Joseph's Day here.

Our Lady of the Rosary is located at 1629 Columbia St. San Diego, CA 92101

Email: parish@olrsd.org

Phone: 619-234-4820

Web: OLRSD.org

Grazie! Auguri!

More video here.
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