Italian Heritage Festival Opens With Food, Music And Fun
Photo by Shelley Hanson Upper Ohio Valley Italian Festival organizers clap during the ribbon cutting ceremony to open the festival on Friday afternoon.
Photo by Shelley Hanson People browse the food vendors on Water Street at lunchtime Friday during the Upper Ohio Valley Italian Festival in Wheeling.
Photo by Derek Redd Bellaire Mayor Robert "Moose" Dodrill opens the Upper Ohio Valley Italian Heritage Festival with some popular songs.
Photo by Derek Redd The Folkloric Dance Ensemble performs Friday afternoon during the Upper Ohio Valley Italian Heritage Festival.
Photo by Derek Redd The Folkloric Dance Ensemble performs Friday afternoon during the Upper Ohio Valley Italian Heritage Festival.
Photo by Derek Redd The Folkloric Dance Ensemble performs Friday afternoon during the Upper Ohio Valley Italian Heritage Festival.
Photo by Shelley Hanson Colorful bounce house amusements adorn Wheeling Heritage Port on Friday during the Upper Ohio Valley Italian Festival in Wheeling. There is a cost to use the bounce houses.
Photo by Shelley Hanson Upper Ohio Valley Italian Festival organizers clap during the ribbon cutting ceremony to open the festival on Friday afternoon.
Photo by Shelley Hanson People browse the food vendors on Water Street at lunchtime Friday during the Upper Ohio Valley Italian Festival in Wheeling.
Photo by Derek Redd Bellaire Mayor Robert "Moose" Dodrill opens the Upper Ohio Valley Italian Heritage Festival with some popular songs.
Photo by Derek Redd The Folkloric Dance Ensemble performs Friday afternoon during the Upper Ohio Valley Italian Heritage Festival.
Photo by Derek Redd The Folkloric Dance Ensemble performs Friday afternoon during the Upper Ohio Valley Italian Heritage Festival.
Photo by Derek Redd The Folkloric Dance Ensemble performs Friday afternoon during the Upper Ohio Valley Italian Heritage Festival.
Photo by Shelley Hanson Colorful bounce house amusements adorn Wheeling Heritage Port on Friday during the Upper Ohio Valley Italian Festival in Wheeling. There is a cost to use the bounce houses.
Trending
WHEELING -- The Upper Ohio Valley Italian Heritage Festival, featuring a variety of food, music and entertainment, is underway on Water Street in downtown Wheeling.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Friday afternoon in front of the Little Italy Stage, located across from the Heritage Port flagpole on Water Street.
Tony Filberto, chairman of the festival, and several other board members joined this year’s Italian American of the Year, Robert Contraguerro Jr., who cut the ribbon during the ceremony. Robert “Moose” Doddrill sang the national anthem before a recording of the Italian national anthem was played.
Filberto said this year’s festival, which runs through Sunday, offers something for everyone.
“Last year we had 37 vendors. This year we have nearly 70 vendors. So we’ve almost doubled our vendors,” he said. “We moved our Little Italy area and Little Italy Stage here to 12th Street, closer to the main stage.”
He noted the area where Little Italy was located last year, near WesBanco Arena, is now a Kids Zone featuring bounce houses and other attractions for a fee.
“We might have the nicest kids zone I’ve seen in many years at a festival,” Filberto said. “So we’re inviting all the families to come out and truly enjoy that.”
Filberto also invited everyone to attend a Veterans Appreciation Ceremony beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday at Heritage Port.
“We want to invite all the veterans to come and be a part of the ceremony,” he said. “And we will have a free luncheon for all the veterans afterward.”
A fireworks show is planned for about 10:30 p.m. Saturday.
On Sunday, the festival’s final day, a Catholic Mass is scheduled for 10 a.m. at Heritage Port.
“And we’re having a typical spaghetti and meatball dinner right here in Little Italy just after the Mass,” he said.
Filberto invited everyone to attend the festival, whether returning or visiting for the first time.
“It’s a great time to renew some old friendships and maybe make some new ones,” he said. “You’ll run into people from all over the Ohio Valley.”