L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2026 www.italoamericano.org 6 NEWS & FEATURES TOP STORIES PEOPLE EVENTS of the city for over a century, w h i l e w e l c o m i n g n e w e r g r o u p s l i k e D o n n e I t a l - iane, which formed about 15 years ago." Ciarallo also reflected on the cultural shift between generations: "For our par- ents or grandparents coming to America in the 1950s or 6 0 s , t h e p u s h w a s o f t e n a s s i m i l a t i o n , f i t t i n g i n , speaking English, pursuing white-collar careers. Some- times the language or tradi- tions were set aside. Today, younger generations want to reclaim that connection. You don't need to speak fluent Italian to feel proud of where you came from. The parade provides a living, contempo- rary connection to that iden- tity." This is very true: a cen- tury ago, Italian-American l i f e i n S a n F r a n c i s c o w a s c o n c e n t r a t e d m u c h m o r e tightly around North Beach. Today, many descendants of those families live elsewhere in the city or across the Bay Area, while newer arrivals from Italy have added anoth- er layer to the community. So a fifth-generation Californian may find themselves stand- i n g b e s i d e s o m e o n e w h o grew up in Rome or Milan and moved to San Francisco only a few years ago. Their connection to Italy is not the same, and nobody pretends that it is, but the parade gives b o t h o f t h e m a r e a s o n t o show up and take part. It goes without saying that p u l l i n g o f f a n e v e n t t h a t attracts tens of thousands of spectators requires months of meticulous planning, yet the administrative backbone remains lean. "People are often surprised to learn that we are a non-profit powered entirely by volunteers; we h a v e z e r o f u l l - t i m e p a i d staff," Ciarallo revealed. The b o a r d m e e t s m o n t h l y i n North Beach. Committees divide responsibilities rang- ing from city permits, street c l o s u r e s , a n d l o g i s t i c s t o fundraising, dinners, and digital engagement. "Usually i n O c t o b e r , o u r w e b s i t e reaches over 100,000 visi- t o r s , b a c k e d b y a n a c t i v e email list and social media c o m m u n i t y , " C i a r a l l o shared. "It truly takes a vil- lage. We regularly have com- munity members email us out of the blue wanting to help. Anyone can volunteer o n a c o m m i t t e e w i t h o u t being on the board, though many eventually step up into b o a r d g o v e r n a n c e o v e r time." While the parade centers on Italian heritage, its foot- p r i n t e x t e n d s a c r o s s t h e broader San Francisco Bay Area. Participation is capped at around 90 to 100 entries to maintain a smooth sched- ule, featuring high school marching bands, civic lead- ers, and diverse community organizations. "Marching through North Beach with the Transamerica Pyramid framing the background is iconic," Ciarallo said. "High school bands love the experi- ence, and we welcome civic groups from all backgrounds who simply want to celebrate with us." For the 2026 edi- t i o n , s e v e r a l h i g h l i g h t s anchor the lineup: renowned actor Joe Mantegna returns as Celebrity Grand Marshal, while Bernie Orsi, founder of O r s i F a m i l y V i n e y a r d s , serves as Civic Grand Mar- shal. To mark the 800-year jubilee of Saint Francis of Assisi, the parade will fea- ture an expanded commem- orative float in collaboration with the Knights of St. Fran- cis, alongside the traditional Q u e e n I s a b e l l a a n d h e r court. W i t h s o m a n y I t a l i a n - American institutions across t h e B a y A r e a – f r o m t h e Museo Italo Americano and the Italian Cultural Insti- tute (IIC) to the San Fran- c i s c o I t a l i a n A t h l e t i c Club (SFIAC) and Italian C o m m u n i t y S e r v i c e s ( I C S ) – p e o p l e d o n o t always realize how different t h e i r r o l e s a r e . " B e c a u s e there are so many incredible organizations, people some- times assume we are all one entity," Ciarallo laughed. "While we collaborate close- ly, each organization serves a distinct purpose. The parade acts as the umbrella gather- ing where all these groups come together in the street." This is exactly what happens every October: museums, cultural organizations, old clubs, businesses and newer associations that spend the rest of the year working with different parts of the com- munity suddenly find them- s e l v e s s i d e b y s i d e , a l o n g with families who may not belong to any organization at all. All together to celebrate heritage, history and, overall, cultural belonging. In addition to Sunday's main parade, the organiza- tion hosts other events to support its mission, like the A n n u a l I t a l i a n H e r i t a g e Grand Ball, held on the Sat- urday evening preceding the parade. Open to the public, t h e b l a c k - t i e g a l a b r i n g s together community leaders, visiting dignitaries, and fami- lies for an evening of dining, dancing, and fundraising. W h e n a s k e d w h a t h e hopes first-time visitors take a w a y f r o m a t t e n d i n g t h e parade, Ciarallo's answer goes beyond food and perfor- mances. "Everyone loves the food, the style, and the cul- ture, but what people are truly looking for right now is connection," he reflected. "In a world dominated by rapid technological change, people crave moments that feel real and timeless. When you sit in N o r t h B e a c h o n a s u n n y October afternoon surround- ed by friends, multi-genera- tional families, and great food, you experience that European sense of communi- ty, the passeggiata after din- ner, the shared laughter in the piazza. They say Italians live longer not because of diets, but because of strong s o c i a l c o n n e c t i o n s , g o o d food, and shared time with loved ones. If the parade can bring even a small slice of that lifestyle to San Francisco each year, that's our biggest win." The 2026 San Francisco Italian Heritage Parade takes place on Sunday, October 11th, starting at 12:30 p.m. in Fisherman's Wharf and ending at Washington Square Park in North Beach. Admis- sion is free. For informa- tion on attending, pur- chasing tickets for the Grand Ball, or volunteer- ing, visit SFItalianHer- itage.org. "Ethnic identity doesn't have an expiration date. Whether your great-grandfather arrived through Ellis Island or Angel Island a hundred years ago, or you moved here from Milan last month, that cultural thread remains intact." – Joe Ciarallo CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 Spectators line Columbus Avenue in North Beach as the San Francisco Italian Heritage Parade makes its way through the neighborhood, with Italian flags flying along the route and the Transamerica Pyramid rising in the distance (Original image created for L'Italo-Americano with the assistance of AI)

• Cover