5th Annual Festival | 1999
1999 was the celebration of Italia Unita's 5th anniversary. The weekend was packed with a full entertainment agenda.

To kick off the weekend, Italia Unita held an Opening Ceremony with local dignitaries including, Boston Mayor Thomas Menino; Congressmen, Mike Capuano; and local celebrity, HBO's hit series - Soprano's Executive Producer "Frank Renzulli."Entertainment agenda:

  • Ricordi D' Italia - Folk Dancers
  • Paul London - International contemporary Italian recording artists.
  • Luisa Marino - Repertory Italian theater group
  • Headliner "Sister Sledge"-Disco Divas
  • Seabreeze Featuring -Neapolitan singers - Joe Molino and Angela

As people reveled in the sounds of the feast, while feasting on Italian delicacies, others enjoyed playing bocce on a makeshift court or trying their luck at our Monte Carlo Night.  Children enjoyed the amusements, kiddy rides and let's not forget Joe the Magical Clown!  

An eager crowd gathers as 70's disco diva's "Sister Sledge" performs in the streets of East Boston.


Boston's Mayor Menino kicks off the Opening Ceremony
Other Events...
Throughout the year Italia Unita coordinates and promotes many events.  During 1999, we held an evening of Italian poetry and singing in one of East Boston's elderly homes.  The nostalgic evening brought old timers back in history as they remembered wonderful memories of the "old country."

1999 was also a stellar year in cinema as Oscar award winning Actor/Director, Roberto Benigni, hit the big screen in America with his famed cinematic smash "La Vita e Bella~Life is Beautiful."  Italia Unita paid homage to Benigni as we recreated "Oscar Night" at Lombardo's.  Hundreds cheered Benigni as he took home the Oscar for Best Actor and Best Foreign Film.  "Oscar Night," in East Boston, was such a big hit that it drew hundreds from all over Massachusetts including coverage in the Boston Globe and the Boston Herald.   


Italia Unita
35 Bennington Street, East Boston, MA 02128 • P: 617-561-3201 • F: 617-569-2898
italiaunita@verizon.net

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