Fra Noi Embrace Your Inner Italian
The warm smell of garlic was in the air, olive oil flowed through the street, the sounds of Sinatra were on the lips of tens of thousands, and the 2025 edition of the Taylor Street Little Italy Festa is now in the record books. So many folks with roots in Chicago’s original Little Italy came back to the old neighborhood to celebrate all things Italian and Italian American.
Five stages of entertainment included The Bronx Wanderers from Las Vegas; Tricia Danieli from Miami; Vanessa Racci from New York City; Eros—The Tenor from Cinque Terre; America’s Tenor Christopher Macchio; Mario Bosco from the Bronx; Anthony Rodia from Westchester, New York; Vince Chiarelli from Rockford; Antonio Bevacqua from Calabria; and Arianna Bergamaschi from Milan. They joined local favorites Tony Ocean, the Jersey Girls, Nick Pontarelli, “Sandwich King” Jeff Mauro and his band, Ryan Chiaverini from ABC 7 Chicago (WLS-TV), Josie Falbo, Denise Tomasello, Xplosive Sounds DJs, and so many other superstar entertainers. Film and television star Kathrine Narducci also made a celebrity guest appearance.
Twenty-five food vendors dished out more than 50 Italian food specialties to hungry festivalgoers to enjoy. The legendary Rosebud Restaurant celebrated its grand reopening. Peanut Park Trattoria, the new Pasta Via, Caputo’s, New Paradise Bakery, Vero Coffee & Gelato, Sporty’s Restaurant, and Carm’s on Polk Street were among the other top-quality food vendors.
A traditional handmade puppet show direct from Italy capped off an exciting Bambini Corner, and the classic “mora” hand contest resonated throughout the neighborhood.
— Ron Onesti
