Where’s Terry?
Today he’s taking a trip to Little Italy to kick off his new series that will highlight what makes your favorite Omaha neighborhoods special.
As can be guessed by its name, Little Italy was historically home to Omaha’s Italian population and this heritage can still be seen today.
The area hosts the Festival of Santa Lucia each year to commemorate its history.
The Santa Lucia Festival, originally started in Calentini, Sicily has been celebrated in Omaha every year since 1925. Grazia Caniglia immigrated from Carletini in 1900 and recreated the festival in an effort to deepen the Italian community’s faith in the new land. The festival honors St. Lucy, who died as a martyr and is the patron saint of the blind.
The Italian culture is also celebrated in Omaha each year at La Festa Italiana, which was voted the Omaha Magazine’s Best Festival in 2013 and returns this year August 29-31. The festival boasts a wide variety of authentic food and imported drinks to enjoy as well as cultural celebrations through traditional music and dance.
Today, Little Italy can be found on 10th Street, south of the Old Market. Right now is an exciting time to move to Little Italy, with several renovations in the works. In addition to residential properties, the historic Blue Barn Theater and Burlington Station are also undergoing impressive refurbishments.
If you would like to celebrate the Italian culture in Omaha, share your favorite Little Italy memories, or why you love the neighborhood, on this blog post, or in the comments of this Facebook post. The first five people to comment will receive a coupon for a free large house pizza from Toppers Pizza at 741 North 114th Street. The first five comments will be determined by the time of the post, and the giveaway will run until September 5th. Coupons will be mailed to the winners.
Keep your eyes out for Terry in your neighborhood and stay tuned to Where’s Terry? to win more prizes and discover what Omaha has to offer.
