Meet the 2023 Queen Candidates
Liz Troia
Hello, I am Elizabeth A. Troia. I am running for Santa Lucia Queen for the 2023 year.
I am going to be a Junior in the Fall at Mercy High School with a lot of ambition and hard work. I love art, music, athletics, and literature. I grew up going to the Santa Lucia Festival with my family. I became a lot closer to the festival and the people when my sister decided to run for Santa Lucia Queen in 2018 and became queen. My family has been a part of the festival's history since it started, back in Little Italy. My mom when she was little would go to the festival when it was down in Little Italy, by Orsi’s. My Great-Nano, Joseph Garro, was a part of the band and played the clarinet on my Nano’s side, Gregory Garro. My
Great-Nano, Alfred Longo, had pushed the float on my Nana’s side, Marie Antoinette Longo. Gregory Garro and Marie Antoinette Longo are my Nano and Nana on my mother’s side, Marie Troia. My Great-Grandpa was a member of Sons of Italy and helped in the process of getting the St. Lucy statue from Italy to Omaha. From a young age I have been a part of the Italian community going to the Sons of Italy with my Grandpa, Joseph Troia, almost every other week when he was alive. Both of my parents-grandparents come from Sicily, and I try to live closely to my heritage and the people as much as I can. I have become really close to the people in the Italian community and I wanted to be a part of it in a more personal way. I enjoy thinking critically and working with other people. I enjoy cooking and being hands on creating various objects. I love volunteering and trying to help people as much as I can. I have been a part of the festival, working it, for the last few years. I truly love the community and believe that I would be an asset and add something unique to the community. No matter what happens I will be grateful for the experience and the people I will grow closer with because of it. I’m grateful for the opportunity and will work my hardest for the Santa Lucia Festival.
Bailey Orsi
Bailey comes from a well known Italian family here in Omaha’s very own “Little Italy.” She is the great great great granddaughter of Alfonso and Elivia Orsi who started and opened Orsi’s Italian Bakery over 100 years ago in 1919. The bakery continued as a family business and was passed down to her 2x Great grandparents Claudio & Frances (Bonfiglio) Orsi. It then was passed to her great grandpa Robert “Bob” & Bonnie (Nemec) Orsi. Today her Grandfather Nick Orsi has put his heart and soul into our family business and today works alongside Jimmy Hall who now owns it. He has kept the tradition of a true Sicilian Bakery along with some new additions. Today it is one of the last true remaining icons in the Little Italy neighborhood. Bailey has been raised by a long line of strong women. She is the granddaughter of Kelli (Smithberg) Orsi and the Daughter of Kristyn Orsi. Bailey has been an amazing student inside & out of the classroom. She is part of the National Junior Honors Society. This is when she became active in her community service work. She has not only succeeded in her academics, she has so much love for the arts. Bailey has had drawings and paintings in multiple Westside art shows. Most of all she loves to dance! For the last three years she has danced at a competitive level, which has led her to recently making the Varsity dance team as a freshman next year at Omaha South High School. Following in her aunt Elizabeth (Orsi) Robinson footsteps and becoming a “Luvabull.” This festival means a lot to Bailey and she has attended every year since she can remember. She is looking forward to participating and possibly becoming the third one in our Orsi Family to become the Santa Lucia Festival Queen. Bailey wants to show how proud she is to come from such a well known and respected Italian family from our “Little Italy” community.