Festa Dei Lavoratori: PIACE's First Annual May Day Celebration

May Day has long been a powerful symbol of labor movements across the globe. In Italy, Festa dei Lavoratori, a national holiday, honors workers and the dignity of labor. Italian immigrants brought these traditions with them to New York City, where they played an important role in shaping labor organizing and advancing workers’ rights.

This gathering brings that history into the present, uniting artists, scholars, and community members for a day of shared ideas, creative expression, and celebration.

Join us for a two-day festa that reconnects contemporary cultural expression with the rich history and enduring legacy of Italian immigrants, including:

Talks + Poetry + Storytelling + Music

Performances

Artist & Maker Tables

Food, Drink, and Community

Bookstore

May 1st: 6-9 pm Opening Night with a performance by

Vendor Tables

Drinks & Food

May 2nd: 1-8 pm Emceed’d by Comedian

Discussion with Suzanne Cope Women of War

Hidden Village

Italians for Zohran

Poetry with Jessica Femiani & Angelo Zeolla

Music with Isabella Sirota

Presentation by Lisa Marie Paolucci - IA workers represented in children’s literature

Presentation by Hope Phelps: Fasci Siciliani Dei Lavoratori (projector)

Poetry and Emilia Belly Dancing with Alise Versella

Reading Sets with Italian American Writers Association

Americanissimo - photographs of the Italian diaspora photo booth for IA documentary project by Robert Arenella

Drag King performance with Nicolas Lore

DJ Set - Italian Disco and Freestyle- with Malu Dan

Poetic Fortunes: Poetry Project – Cyn Grace Sylvie

ICE Defense Training

Vendor Tables

Drinks & Food
Vendors:
Art in Little Italy - Daniella La Boca
Robert Arenella Photos
Ilaria Murgia
EarringPals (90% benefit to Gaza families)
PIACE Merch

Bookstore

Women of War by Suzanne Cope

The American Gun by Jessica Femiani

The Bronx Unbound by Angelo Zeolla

Inaccurate Histories by Alise Versella

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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Host or Publisher PIACE