Sons of Italy News Sons of Italy Releases 2008 Festival Directory
Washington, DC-- February 26, 2008 A free directory of nearly 450 annual Italian American festivals in the United States is now available through the Order Sons of Italy in America (OSIA), the biggest and oldest national organization for men and women of Italian heritage in the United States.
The Sons of Italy 2008 Italian Festival Directory lists 448 festivals in 35 states and the District of Columbia that are held between February and December annually. The directory supplies each festival's name, month it is held, city, state and contact information. It is 43 pages long and is based on information about festivals held by Sons of Italy chapters as well as on the research of Paul Porcelli, an expert on Italian American festivals.
The early Italian immigrants brought the custom of honoring saints with outdoor ceremonies to America more than 100 years ago. The festivals vary in size and character. Some consist of only the saint's statue, a band and a procession, while others are colossal celebrations that last several days and include symphonic bands, entertainers, food stands, rides and fireworks. A familiar sight at most festivals is the saint's statue covered with money or jewelry, which is later donated to the local church or saint's society.
The five states with the most festivals are: New York (91); New Jersey (70); Pennsylvania (66); Illinois (33); and Massachusetts (32). Other states with significant numbers of festivals include California (30), Ohio (22), Connecticut (22) and Rhode Island (13).
Italian festivals are held coast to coast, including Maine, Alabama, Wisconsin, Missouri, Nebraska, Colorado, Nevada, Washington State and Texas.
According to Porcelli, the oldest festival is believed to be the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Hammonton, N.J., which this year celebrates its 133rd anniversary in July. The biggest festival is the Feast of San Gennaro held every September in New York City, which attracts about one million people. Other large festivals are in Milwaukee ("Festa Italiana" in July) and Clarksburg, W.V. (the Italian Heritage Festival in August).
Some festivals include such traditional events as the Flight of the Angels (the Feast of the Madonna del Soccorso di Sciacca in Boston, in August; the Feast of Our Lady of Laurentana in Berwyn, Ill., in September), the Greased Pole Contest (the Feast of St. Peter in Gloucester, Mass., in June; the Feast of Saint Rocco in Malden, Mass., in August), and the Dance of the Lily, in which about 100 men carry a five-ton platform through the streets for hours (in Brooklyn, East Harlem and Massapequa, N.Y., in June and July).
The Sons of Italy directory is free. To download a copy of the report Click Here. For a printed copy, send a large (9" x 12"), self-addressed envelope with $2.05 in stamps on it to:
Sons of Italy Festival Directory_219 E Street NE_Washington, DC 20002
Sorry. No telephone or fax orders.
To add your festival to next year's directory, please contact OSIA headquarters in Washington by mail at the above address or by fax (202/547-1492) or e-mail: nationaloffice@osia.org . No telephone calls, please.
Send the name of the festival, month held, city, state and a contact person or organization with a telephone number and/or email address. Deadline for submissions: December 31, 2008.
Order Sons of Italy in America
OSIA is the largest and oldest national organization in the United States for men and women of Italian descent in the United States. Established in 1905, OSIA has more than 600,000 members and supporters and a network of more than 745 chapters coast to coast.
OSIA works at the community, national and international levels to promote the heritage and culture of an estimated 16-26 million Italian Americans, the nation’s fifth largest ethnic group, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
OSIA: http://www.osia.org
Contact:
Kylie Cafiero
Director of Communications
email: kcafiero@osia.org
phone: 202/547-2900

New Sons of Italy Travel Bureau _Launches Trips to Ancient Sicily
Washington, DC-- February 27, 2008 Tours to Ancient Sicily for less than $1,900 per person including airfare, hotel, guided tours and most meals are now available through the Sons of Italy Travel Bureau.
The new travel program was launched earlier this year by the Order Sons of Italy in America (OSIA), the nation's biggest and oldest organization for men and women of Italian heritage.
" PASSPORT TO ITALY: TOURING ANCIENT SICILY" features a series of one-week trips to eastern Sicily, first settled by the Greeks 2,700 years ago.
" We chose Sicily because one of every three Italian Americans can trace his or her ancestors back to this island," says OSIA National President Alfred Affinito. "But even if you are not of Sicilian heritage, a visit to Sicily and its many treasures is well worth making."
Starting in September, 2008, the Sons of Italy Travel Bureau will offer weekly all-inclusive tours of Sicily that include round-trip airfare via Alitalia, seven nights in a four-star hotel, all breakfasts and dinners and escorted tours with an English-speaking guide.
" Home" for the week is the Sant Alphio Hotel and Spa in Giardini Naxos, near scenic Taormina and the beach. From there participants tour the region's most important sights in Tindari/Messina; Siracusa; Noto; and Catania.
There will also be a visit to the Sanctuary of the Black Madonna of Tindari, the Greco-Roman Archeological Park of Siracusa, Mount Etna, Sicily's tallest peak and a farewell luncheon at an agriturismo farm
Along with the escorted tours, travelers will have free time to shop and sight-see on their own. Breakfasts are continental style while the dinners feature Sicily's unique cuisine and wines.
SPECIAL FEATURES
Participants can extend their visit either before or after the tour for a maximum of 10 days and will be assisted in finding hotels, auto rentals and airline reservations. Such arrangements, however, must be made at the time of booking the tour and are subject to availability.
Clubs, groups of friends or families can reserve a "members-only" tour for a specific date. However, all reservations are on a first-come, first-served basis and require a minimum of 25 people. Trips with fewer than 25 participants will be offered alternate dates.
All tours depart from New York's JFK airport, but other cities of embarkation are available at an additional charge subject to availability and scheduling.
The price of the tour varies according to the season. The least expensive tours are November through March at $1,849.00 per person. The tours in September, October, April and May are $2,049.00, while the last three tours in June cost $2,459.00 per person. A single-occupancy hotel room is available for $250.00 extra.
WHEN TO GO?
Eastern Sicily has a Mediterranean climate with relatively mild weather year-round. Winter temperatures average in the 50s F. and often reach into the 60s. (See chart below.) Occasional rains are followed by long periods of sunny weather. Spring comes early and temperatures are mostly in the 70s F.
" When choosing your dates, keep in mind that in Sicily the almond trees bloom in February and people start swimming in May," says Affinito.
The Sons of Italy Travel Bureau has prepared a brochure and application form for the trip, which can be downloaded at www.osia.org or Click Here. To request a printed copy, write to: SONS OF ITALY TRAVEL BUREAU; 219 E Street, NE; Washington, D.C. 20002. (No telephone requests, please.)

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