LEOMINSTER — Downtown came alive during the fourth annual Italian Festival on Saturday evening, where thousands gathered to celebrate Italian heritage with music, dancing, delicious Italian food, pastries and drinks.
The celebration continued late into the evening as green, white and red lights sparkled throughout Monument Square while City Hall glowed in the colors of the Italian flag on a beautiful summer night.
Started four years ago as a way to celebrate Leominster’s strong Italian heritage and bring the community together, the festival has quickly become one of the city’s most anticipated summer traditions.
For 12-year-old Nico Rosenberg, the evening was a chance to celebrate his heritage while stepping into a leadership role usually reserved for adults. Carrying his clipboard throughout the night as honorary co-chairman, he checked in with organizers, greeted vendors and helped make sure the celebration stayed on track.
Festival Committee Chairman Hank Lisciotti said his grandson has been invested in the event since its very beginning.
“Nico is a smart, confident, funny and kind young man who loves his Italian heritage as much as his nonno (grandfather),” Lisciotti said. “He’s been interested in the festival since we started it four years ago, and last year he asked if he could be the co-chairman.”
Lisciotti believes Nico’s passion for his heritage grew even stronger after the two traveled to Italy together two years ago.
“I took him to Italy for two weeks, and it really opened his eyes,” he said. “He was fascinated by everything we saw, especially the Colosseum and the Vatican in Rome, and Mount Etna in Sicily. Ever since then, he’s had an even greater appreciation for our family’s heritage.”
As another successful festival came to a close, Nico’s enthusiasm, attention to detail and willingness to help reflected the community spirit the celebration was created to inspire — proving that even at 12 years old, great leaders can leave a lasting impression.
