Community News

The Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish will celebrate the 132nd anniversary of its devotion to the Blessed Mother on July 13. Festivities will begin with a 7:30 a.m. Mass in English and a 9 a.m. solemn Mass in Italian, followed by a procession with the statue of the Blessed Mother to a noon field Mass. A procession through the streets of the parish afterward will culminate in a 4 p.m. benediction, followed by a 5 p.m. Mass in Spanish. The Sicilian Band of Chicago and Caliendo’s Banda Napoletana will perform during both processions, and food and beverages will be …

One of the most thrilling and glamorous events in the Chicago-area Italian American community is the contest to determine who will reign as La Bella Regina of the Columbus Day Parade. “Few events in the community can match the pageantry of the annual Columbus Day Queen pageant,” says Ron Onesti, president of the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans. “The queen will be the star of the Italian community for a year’s reign.” Sponsored by the JCCIA, this year’s pageant will be held at 1 p.m. on July 26 at the Des Plaines Theatre. The event will be chaired by …

Roselle Sister Cities Italian Committee will host a tour of the region of Puglia from Sept. 7-16. “Puglia is known for its history-rich cities, vibrant culture, dramatic seaside cliffs, crystal-clear waters and rustic cuisine,” tour creator Pat Capriati notes. “We’ve put together a trip that will showcase all those qualities.” The itinerary will include Bari, Mola di Bari, Alberobello, Martina Franca, Lecce, Otranto, Martina Franca, Torre dell’Orso, Santa Maria di Leuca, Polignano a Mare, San Vito, Rutigliano and Manduria. Along the way, participants will witness the pageantry of the Feast of Maria SS Addolorata; explore the ancient trulli of Alberobello …

The Chicagoland Italian American Charitable Organization will host its fourth annual Festa della Famiglia e Amici from 1-5 p.m. on July 13 in the Festival Center at Casa Italia in Stone Park. The event features a family feast and performances by Tony Ocean, Daniela Croco and The Jersey Girls. Scholarships and grants to families of veterans in need will be bestowed. Tickets are $100 and include entry in a raffle with a $5,000 grand prize. Children under 18 may attend for $20. Sponsorship packets are available. (630-440-9908)  

Associazione Regionale Siciliana in America will host a Sicilian Summer Block Party featuring the tastes and sounds of Sicily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on June 29 at the corner of Addison and Nordica in Chicago. Entertainment will be provided by the Sicilian vocal duo Calandra and Calandra and DJ Alex. Sicilian delicacies will include pane e panelle, sfincione, arancini, cannoli and more. For details, call Sal Camarda at 708-369-8605 or Tony Sapienza at 630-935-6998.

Day 1 Survivors will host its third annual fundraising tournament for cancer research from 1-5 p.m. on July 19 at Northwestern Martin Lakefront Stadium. The event will feature open bar, gourmet food trucks, a live raffle and open bocce along with the bocce tournament. Tickets are $130 per person and $225 per couple. Sponsorships are also available. The organization was founded by former Columbus Day Queen Dina Bair Maher, a medical reporter and anchor at WGN-TV, and her husband, John Maher. For details, click here.    

Volleyball World hosting the men’s 2025 Volleyball Nations League in the Chicago area from June 25-29 at the NOW Arena in Hoffman Estates. Volleyball is ranked as the third most-watched sport worldwide, with more than 800 million fans around the globe each year. The tournament will bring elite players from the United States, Poland, Brazil, Italy, Canada and China to compete in as part of the five-day, 12-match pool. For more, click here.

The Society Burgio for Women’s fundraising picnic will benefit a cause that’s near and dear to its members. Revenue generated by the event will be donated to D’fense Holiday Drive, an annual initiative launched by Dylan Provenzano to benefit Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University in Chicago. A two-time cancer survivor, Provenzano is the grandson of a society member and cousin of society President Annmarie Parisi. The July 19 event will feature food and beverages, games, music and raffles. The location is to be determined. (SocietyBurgioforWomen@gmail.com)

The National Shrine of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini will honor the life and legacy of America’s first saint with a birthday celebration on July 13. The event will feature a 10 a.m. Mass followed by refreshments and a “celebration of faith, community and cultures,” according to Executive Director Laurie Halaska. “The shrine has a spiritual mission reflecting the ideals of Mother Cabrini by welcoming pilgrims from around the globe and in offering a place of prayer, worship, devotion, evangelization and reconciliation,” she says. For more, click here.

On May 13, more than 300 elected officials, political lobbyists and community leaders converged on the Bank of Springfield Convention Center for the third annual Italian Caucus Reception in the state’s capital. What began as a quiet dinner prepared by Elmwood Park Mayor Angelo “Skip” Saviano and Bloomingdale Mayor Franco Coladipietro has blossomed into what legislators refer to as the “best party in Springfield.” The event is chaired by State Rep. Anthony Deluca and Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans President Ron Onesti. “When I heard about the event a few years ago, I thought it would be a great …