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Upper Ohio Valley Italian Heritage Festival in Wheeling Returns To Its Roots

File Photo Visitors walk the midway during a past Upper Ohio Valley Italian Heritage Festival in downtown Wheeling.

WHEELING — Undo’s Upper Ohio Valley Italian Heritage Festival, tagged the “undisputed granddaddy of outdoor festivals,” is returning to its roots this year.

The festival, backed by title sponsor Undo’s Italian Restaurants as well as a host of other contributors, is set to take over Wheeling’s Heritage Port along Water Street Friday through Sunday. A ribbon cutting ceremony will be held at noon Friday. This year’s Italian-American of the Year is Richard Lucas, CEO of Main Street Bank in Wheeling.

With an estimated attendance of 150,000 throughout the three-day event, festival organizers are excited to renew the Italian flavor to the festival. After 36 years, festival organizers knew they needed to reinvent the event.

They turned to Nick Sparachane and his team from Undo’s, who initiated the fundraising effort.

Undo’s team, which has had a long festival tradition, is jumping back in with a full-scale restaurant as they did 36 years ago, along with a financial commitment to be the naming rights sponsor as well as a commitment to raise private funds to ensure the festival’s success.

With the aid of a numerous sponsors including Wheeling Hospital — the three-day sponsor of all the entertainment — the festival was able to raise nearly $70,000, which went to a trust fund that awards scholarships to 14 local students who are entering college. The scholarship ceremony will take place at 6:30 p.m. Saturday in front of the main stage.

Previous festivals included an area known at “Little Italy.” However festival president Bob Triveri said the entire grounds will honor the Italian heritage with Undo’s famous restaurant fare leading the way. Also several other Italian-themed food vendors from Pittsburgh, including Tambellini’s, will join the lineup of various food options.

Also new this year is a corn bag toss tournament for children starting at 6 p.m. Friday in the area of WesBanco Arena.

Bocce is still a big draw for the adults and will be going on throughout the festival. The festival offers delicious international cuisine, legal beverages, and even gourmet Italian wines. The schedule of events also includes a Veterans Appreciation ceremony at noon Saturday.

A Catholic Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Sunday by the Most Rev. Michael J. Bransfield, bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, on the main stage of the festival.

Other festival sponsors this years are: Poly-Cor Enterprises; West Virginia Division of Culture & History; West Virginia Lottery; Framore; The Health Plan; Ohio County Commission; Project Best; Wheeling Nailers; Panhandle Cleaning & Restoration; Tiberio Ciancone; Wheeling-Ohio County Convention and Visitors Bureau; BB&T; DeFelice Pizza; DiCarlo’s Pizza; Fitzsimmons Law Firm PLLC; Bob Hitchman; McLure Hotel; Riesbeck’s; Sons of Italy; D.C. Ventures; Egypt Valley Stone; Kohl’s; Petrella Wealth Management; Ali Bonomo Photography; Jack Cera; Dr. & Mrs. William Grant; and Upper Ohio Valley Fraternal Order of Police.

To discover more about the festival, call 304-233-1090 or visit italyfest.com.

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