Awards Dinner

Selvaggi Crowned Columbus Queen

The Des Plaines Theatre was once again transformed into fashion week in New York for the Columbus Day Queen Contest, hosted on July 21 by the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans. Stadium-style seats were replaced with an expansive stage and runway flanked by chairs filled with audience members.

Among 15 worthy contenders, Ava Selvaggi was named 2024 Columbus Day Queen. A recent graduate of Miami University, Selvaggi earned a bachelor’s degree in graphic design with a minor in marketing, and is currently working for Digitas ad agency as an associate art director. Selvaggi is from a large extended family with roots in Bari, Foggia and Rome. The daughter of Pete and Jill Selvaggi, she is one of four siblings, including Viviana, Marco and Luca.

As the newly crowned queen, Selvaggi will attend the Columbus Day Parade and a series of community events throughout the year. Serving as her court are runner-up Rianna Capizzano and fellow contestants Stephanie Corona, Francesca DeLuca, Katrina Giannoni, Olivia Greco, Vincenza Martino, Damiana Mills, Graziella Narcisi, Annemarie Novack, Stefania Nowak, Annalisa Renghini, Giada Roti, Nicole Ruggiero and Marielle Vestuto-Langford