Proceeds from the raffle will be used to provide scholarships to the Queen Candidates and support the Santa Lucia Festival Committee in providing an annual festival celebrating Santa Lucia, preserving the Italian heritage of Omaha’s Little Italy, and supporting organizations and individuals whose purpose is spiritual and charitable, in the Spirit of Santa Lucia.
Raffle tickets may be purchased in person or online between the dates of 05/05/2025 and 08/02/2025. If purchasing online tickets, payment must be made with a debit card per Nebraska Lottery and Raffle guidelines.
Winners will be drawn following the Queen’s Coronation on Sunday 08/03/2025. This will be a live drawing, but you do not need to be present to win.
Winners will be contacted by the SLFC Committee within five business days of the drawing. Winners can also reach out to the Committee to arrange payment at
Treasurer@SantaLuciaFestival.com.
This Raffle will follow Federal IRS Guidelines and the Nebraska Lottery and Raffle Act which requires the Winner to complete Form 5754 and the Committee to provide a W-2G for any prize of at least $1500. The SLFC will not withhold any taxes on winnings that do not exceed $5,000.
1st prize: $1500.00 Airline Gift Card
2nd prize: Espresso Machine
3rd prize: $100.00 amazon gift card
There is no age requirement to purchase or sell a raffle ticket under the Special Permit as set forth in the Nebraska Lottery and Raffle Act.
The very first queen was named in the festival’s 5th year, 1929. In those early days, the committee had difficulty narrowing down the list of potential candidates. Many young women in the Little Italy neighborhood dreamed of being named the Santa Lucia Festival Queen.
The tradition of naming a Santa Lucia Festival Queen was a way to honor those families that displayed their financial generosity to the festival committee. Candidates would raise money through a ticket raffle. The candidate, who sold the most tickets, raising the most money, would be honored as queen. It was a way for young women and their families to show their devotion to Santa Lucia.
The funds generated all went toward planning and preparations for the next year’s festival.
Without former queens and candidates, it would have been difficult for the festival to run consecutively for over ten decades.
Today’s Queen is selected based on three criteria
* Academics * Community Service * Raffle Ticket Sales *
Mission Statement:
To provide citizens of Omaha with an annual festival celebrating Santa Lucia, to preserve the rich Italian heritage of Omaha’s Little Italy, and to support organizations and individuals whose purpose is spiritual and charitable, in the Spirit of Santa Lucia.
