Little Italy, Big Festival

The Historical Society will honor 130 years of Italian-American presence in Wilmington with an exhibit in the Willingtown Square Gallery to kick off the new year.  Little Italy, Big Festival  will examine the vibrant  history of Wilmington’s west side, known as “The Hill” to early generations of Wilmington’s Italiani.  Early settlers,  businesses, cultural organizations, and the founding of Saint Anthony’s Parish will be explored along with the origins of the “mega celebration” Wilmington proudly calls its own,  St. Anthony’s Italian Festival.  This celebration is so popular that Italians from  Italy are said to come to it!  Rare photographs and memorabilia from the Society’s collections as well as materials from the Little Italy community will be on display through, appropriately enough, the Big Festival itself in June.