Around thirty thousand people attended the street party organised by the Little Italy of Los Angeles Association (Lilaa) in San Pedro, a town south of the metropolis that is home to Southern California's largest Italian American community. The 2024 edition is the first to be celebrated since California officially recognised October as the month of Italian cultural heritage.
"The great success is a confirmation of the power of the Italy brand in this territory and the depth of the cultural, economic and friendship ties that unite our countries and peoples," said Los Angeles Consul General Raffaella Valentini. "October is the month in which we celebrate the contribution of our compatriots to the wealth of this country and the close ties between two countries that in 2023 had trade worth $126 billion. The United States is home to 17 million people of Italian descent and our language is the fourth most studied," Valentini added.
On Saturday, families and people of all ages gathered along 6th Street in San Pedro, home to the West Coast's largest commercial port. Amidst food stands of baked pizza, Sicilian cannoli, porchetta, and Sardinian dishes, the festival was an opportunity to showcase some of the associations working to spread Italian culture, such as Francesca Taylor's Opera Italia Los Angeles. The band that arrived from Sicily, Maladeo Live Show, and Mimmo Bologna, 90-year-old Elvis impersonator and San Pedro icon, performed on stage. "A joyful representation of our roots," commented Mario Amalfitano, President of Lilaa.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
