The Italian Cultural Center of Minneapolis/St. Paul upcoming events

ICC Youth School Fall 2026 OPEN HOUSE in our NEW HOME! (12 Sep 2026)

Sat, 12 Sep 2026 19:00:00 GMT

Join us for our YOUTH SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE, now in our 4th year, but in a BRAND NEW SPACE! (553 1st Ave NE) - Exact time TBD.

We are excited to welcome you to our friendly and inclusive community and to showcase all the fun things we offer. This is a great opportunity to:

Meet the Instructors: Get to know our caring and dedicated teachers, and hear about our course offerings. We can answer all your questions about our Italian classes for students age 3-17.
Discover our course offerings: We provide an enriching educational experience with a developmentally age-appropriate curriculum for kids and teens. Whether they are a beginner or native speaker, we have the perfect class.
Connect with Italophile parents: Engage with other parents who share your love for Italian culture and language. Join our supportive network, and exchange tips and experiences.
Enjoy Italian treats: Savor a delicious caffè e un biscottino in one of our beautiful classrooms located in the North Loop. Experience a little taste of Italy right here in our school.
Explore our library: Check out our expansive collection of books and films. Our library is a treasure trove of Italian literature and cinema that can provide endless learning opportunities.
Register for special events: Sign up early for several exclusive family events this Fall; we have a variety of exciting cultural and social activities planned that you will surely want to attend.

This is a FREE family-friendly event. Bring the whole family and get to know the ICC Youth School.

Vi aspettiamo!

ITALIAN for I PICCOLI Beginners (Age 3-6) YF26 (19 Sep 2026)

Sat, 19 Sep 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Join us for a 60-minute in-person lesson designed for preschool and kindergarten children with little or no exposure to Italian. Our engaging sessions focus on vocabulary building and oral communication skills through interactive songs, stories, games, and imaginative play. Students will also learn about contemporary Italian culture around traditional holidays.

Students will end each lesson with a safe-snack routine, still fully immersed in the Italian language as they wash their mani and enjoy their merenda.

After each lesson, families will receive an email summary of the topics and activities covered in class, allowing families to reinforce the material at home throughout the week.

Activity Book included!

NOTE: NO classes on October 17 (MEA) and November 28 (Thanksgiving).

I MEDI Beginner/Intermediate (Age 7-9) YF26 (19 Sep 2026)

Sat, 19 Sep 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Join us for a 60-minute in-person lesson designed for Elementary School children with little or no exposure to Italian. Students will build their confidence in speaking and listening by focusing on vocabulary and oral communication skills through interactive songs, dances, stories, games, and imaginative play. They will also explore simple reading and writing in Italian. The lessons will emphasize contemporary Italian culture, traditional holidays, and geography.

Students can end each lesson with a safe-snack routine, still immersed in the Italian language as they wash their mani and enjoy their merenda.

After each lesson, families will receive an email summary of the topics and activities covered in class, allowing families to reinforce the material at home throughout the week.

Activity Book included!

NOTE: NO classes on October 17 (MEA) and November 28 (Thanksgiving).

I GRANDI Beginner/Intermediate (Age 9-12) YF26 (19 Sep 2026)

Sat, 19 Sep 2026 15:00:00 GMT

This 60-minute in-person lesson is designed for Upper Elementary and Middle School students with little or no exposure to Italian.

The focus will be on building vocabulary, enhancing oral communication skills, reading, writing, pronunciation, spelling, as well as cultural competency.

Students will have a structured and progressive learning experience by engaging in dynamic activities while following an age-appropriate workbook. Our dynamic activities include role-plays, music, movement, and games, all conducted entirely in Italian. We also emphasize contemporary Italian culture, traditional holidays, and geography.

After each lesson, families will receive an email summary of the topics and activities covered in class. We will also provide suggestions for exercises to review and practice at home during the week.

Activity Book included!

NOTE: NO class on October 17 (MEA) and November 28 (Thanksgiving).

I TEEN (Beginner/Intermediate) Italian Grammar and Conversation (Age 12+) YF26 (19 Sep 2026)

Sat, 19 Sep 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Explore our engaging 60-minute, in-person, (with optional 45 min online) full-immersion lesson for High School students with little or no previous exposure to Italian.

Students will build their speaking and listening comprehension confidence, improve their reading and writing skills in Italian, and explore grammatical concepts while expanding their cultural competency.

Students will have a structured and progressive learning experience by engaging in dynamic activities while following an age-appropriate materials. After each lesson, families will receive an email summary of the topics and activities covered in class, along with optional material to practice the material during the week.

ACCELERATED OPTION: Students can reinforce and expand upon previewed materials by practicing conversational skills in small groups, midweek with the instructor, ONLINE via GoogleMeet for 45 min. To learn more or sign up, CLICK HERE.

Link to purchase book: Espresso Ragazzi 1, incl. e-book access code.

NOTE: NO classes on October 17 (MEA) and November 28 (Thanksgiving).

Youth School PIZZA PRANZO @ Punch NE (19 Sep 2026)

Sat, 19 Sep 2026 17:00:00 GMT

YOUTH SCHOOL MONTHLY PIZZA PRANZO: THIRD SATURDAYS OF EACH MONTH

Gather after class for a family pranzo at Punch Pizza NE, 210 E. Hennepin Ave. Order and pay for your own meal, and look for the ICC table(s).

Enjoy this opportunity to meet other parents, students, and extended family members in a warm and friendly setting. Magari pratichi anche un po' d'italiano o giochi ad una partita di carte!

We look forward to another year of friendships and community through the ICC Youth School.

Ci vediamo a Punch!

ONLINE ACCELERATED OPTION! Intermediate Italian Grammar and Conversation for T(W)EENS (Age 11+) YF26 (23 Sep 2026)

Wed, 23 Sep 2026 23:00:00 GMT

The INTERMEDIATE 'ACCELERATED' OPTION!

Take advantage of our engaging 45-minute ONLINE conversational Italian practice sessions for Middle and High School students with previous experience studying Italian, but no necessary exposure to Italian at home. This class is considered ʼAcceleratedʼ not only because of student maturity and motivation, but because in addition to the in-person Saturday lessons at ICC it offers students a chance to practice and reinforce previously presented material in smaller groups, focussing on conversational fluency and confidence.

A second lesson each week ensures students engage effectively with the material more frequently, at regular intervals, and are better prepared for each Saturday, thus helping them reach their proficiency goals sooner. Students will build their confidence in comprehension and speaking skills, improve their automaticity in Italian, and apply grammatical concepts while focussing on everyday conversational topics with peers.

Toddler Time: Italian immersion for our youngest learners! YF26TT (26 Sep 2026)

Sat, 26 Sep 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Immerse your child in the beauty of the Italian language and culture through our interactive story-time sessions and delightful social activities!

The Italian Cultural Center Youth School warmly invites families—parents, grandparents, and toddlers aged 6 months to 3 years—to join us for a series of 10 informal intergenerational gatherings on Saturday mornings at the ICC. Toddler Time is an interactive story-time combined with arts and crafts related to the story, and/or music (song and movement), and ends with some playtime so families can interact independently. (You will need to register separately for each session.)

Session Dates: Saturdays from 9am - 9:45am, Sept 26 - Dec 12 (NO CLASSES on OCTOBER 17 and NOVEMBER 28).

This series is FREE for all ICC Youth School Family Members, but donations are TRULY APPRECIATED, and help us continue to offer programs such as these.

REGISTER NOW, and don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to spark your child’s curiosity, build community, and lay the foundation for multilingualism!

Italiano per Genitori (Livello A2/B1 = Advanced Beginners/Intermediate) YF26IPG (26 Sep 2026)

Sat, 26 Sep 2026 15:05:00 GMT

Italiano Espresso per Genitori is a 10-hr course for parents whose children are enrolled in ICC's Youth School classes. This course is designed to help parents who have previously studied a bit of Italian improve their familiarity with Italian grammar and speak with more confidence. Each session focuses on essential vocabulary, phrases, and grammar. We will review Units 3-4 and progress through Units 5-6 or 7.

Session Dates/Times: Saturdays 10:05 a.m. - 11:05 a.m.

Every Saturday, Sept 26 - Dec 12
NO CLASS on Oct 17 and Nov 28

Space is limited, so register now to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to enrich your family’s multilingual experience! Enrollment is limited to parents whose children are currently enrolled in ICC's YS classes.

Please order a copy of both the text and workbook prior to the first day of class from your preferred bookseller.

Textbook: NEW ITALIAN ESPRESSO (Beginner/Pre-Intermediate) UPDATED ED. TEXTBOOK + E-BOOK

Workbook: NEW ITALIAN ESPRESSO (Beginner/Pre-Intermediate) UPDATED ED. WORKBOOK

Note: The E-book includes Audio and Videos and interactive exercises used throughout the course.

If interested, English Grammar for students of Italian is a great reference for differences in English and Italian grammar structures.