Italian Heritage Festival

The West Virginia Italian Heritage Festival takes place each year on Labor Day weekend in Clarksburg, West Virginia. The festival was started in 1979. Each year, this 3-day street festival brings over 100,000 visitors to Downtown Clarksburg.

History

The West Virginia Italian Heritage Festival began in 1979 as a celebration of the Italian-American heritage of a large percentage of the population in north-central West Virginia. In its first year the festival saw great success and over 80,000 visitors. That year, the parade included baseball Hall of Famer Joe DiMaggio as marshal, who shared his car with then Governor Jay Rockefeller and Senator Jennings Randolph. The main event of that first festival was a free Jerry Vale concert.^[1]

The COVID-19 pandemic caused many outdoor events to be cancelled in 2020, though only some will be virtual.

Original Board Members

Louis Spatafore, Sam Chico, Sam D'Annunzio, Frank Iaquinta, James D. Larosa, John Manchin, and Alma Moore.

Festival

The festival takes place in downtown Clarksburg, annually on Labor Day weekend. The street blocks in which the festival take place are totally closed to traffic for the weekend, normally between S 2nd St and S 4th St along Main Street.. The atmosphere the festival creates is full of pageantry, entertainment, music, and of course a wide array of food and drink. From the opening ceremonies, when the royal court of Regina Maria (Regina meaning "Queen" and Maria the name of the first queen of Italy), is crowned, to its conclusion with the traditional festival ball the festival is filled with great events including an annual WVIHF 5k run, WVIHF Golf Tournament, and the annual pasta cook-off.

Notable Entertainment

Over the years the festival had some notable performers including Tony Danza, Kathy Mattea, Jo Dee Messina, Steve Augeri, Joey Dee and the Starliters, and Frankie Avalon.

Honors and awards

Each year the festival pays special tribute to outstanding Italian Americans by making public awards and recognitions. The festival has also had a scholarship since at least 2013. In 2023 it was awarded to 12 individuals.^[2]

Italian American Man of the Year

Honorary Italian Men of the Year

1979 Senator Jennings Randolph, John D. Rockefeller, IV
1991 Thomas C. Burns
1980 James Compton
1981 Odus Kincaid
1982 Msgr. Benjamin Farrell
1983 Frank Maxwell
1984 Gov. John D. Rockefeller
1985 Gov. Arch A. Moore, Jr.
1986 US Senator Robert Byrd
1987 John Williams
1988 Jon A. McBride
1989 Gov. Gaston Caperton
1990 Msgr. John O"Reilly
1991 Thomas C. Burns
1992 Sam Huff
1993 Milan Puskar
1994 Judge Callie I. Tsapis
1995 Robert L. Reynolds
1996 Father Charles McCallister
1997 Governor Cecil H. Underwood
1998 Ed Pastilong
1999 Bishop Bernard W. Schmitt
2000 Leland Byrd
2001 Daniel McCarthy, Circuit Judge (Ret.)*
2002 Governor Bob Wise
2003 I.L. Morris
2004 Alan Mollohan
2005 Dr. Kelley Nelson
2006 James. C. Hunt
2007 Harry Green, Jr.
2008 Dr. Julian Bailes
2009 Michael Belmear
2010 Don Hamilton
2011 Jim Justice
2012 Tommy Thomas
2013 John Ebert
2014 Dr. Joseph Momen
2015 Robert Greer
2016 Governor Earl Ray Tomblin
2017 Coach Mike Carey
2018 Martin Howe
2019 Mike Patrick
2022 Stephen McCoy
2023 Brad D. Smith

Italian-American Women of the Year

1984 Ann DeNardi & Mary Ann Angotti
1985 Lucille Ellis & Florence Lombardi Merow
1986 Ann Christafore Zippili & Judy Prozillo Byers
1987 Dr. Regina Barberia & Nicki Epstein
1988 Princine Nordica Tighe
1989 Denise Giardiana
1990 Rosalie Gaziano
1991 Jean Battlo
1992 Dr. Linda DiGiustino Sabak
1993 Lydia Deboni Main
1994 Sister Anne Francis Bartus
1995 Lois Ellis Wolfe
1996 Tina Romito Mascaro
1997 Edna Antoinette Falbo
1998 Donna Marlene
1999 Dr. Theresa Amato Edwards
2000 Patricia P. O'Reilley
2001 Sister Sandra Peraldo
2002 Marie Prezioso
2003 Rosalyn Queen Alonso
2004 Michelle A. Plutro
2005 Leyna Gabriele
2006 Carolyn Peluso Atkins
2007 Joyce DeWitt
2008 Rose Romona Rodrigues Davis
2009 Dr. Paula Romano Potter
2010 Natalie Tennant
2011 Dr. Renee Saggio Moore
2012 Dr. Clara Spatafore
2013 Sharon Flanery
2014 Angela Bellotte
2015 Dr. Joy Faini Saab
2016 Mayor Catherine Goings
2017 Raffaella "Folly" (Romano) Basile
2018 Jamie Hamrick
2019 Dr. Mary Frances Veltri Jordan
2022 Rachel Romano
2023 Aimme Goddard

Honorary Italian Women of the Year

1984 Sally Giese
1985 Dr. Nell Bailey
1986 Kelly L. George
1987 Barbara Warner
1988 Hazel Ruby McQuain
1989 Justice Margaret Workman
1990 Meredith Sue Willis
1991 Phyllis Curtin
1992 Dr. Ruth Jackson
1993 Judge Janice Warder
1994 Judge Callie Tsapis
1995 Laura Milan
1996 Maria "Zeny" Cunanan
1997 Betty Puskar
1998 Jeanny Kalaycioglu
1999 Hovah Hall Underwood
2000 John Ohl
2001 Shelly Moore Capito
2002 Sister Mary Rebecca Fiddler
2003 Merle Moore
2004 Judge Irene Keeley
2005 Helen Jones
2006 Dr. Pamela Sumpter-Cain
2007 Mary Lou Jones
2008 Kathryn Titus
2009 First Lady Gayle Manchin
2010 Dr. Carroll Kelly Morrison
2011 Lisa Furbee Ford
2012 Jane White Gabor
2013 Margaret Bailey
2014 Sarah Carr Parsons
2015 Dr. Doreen M. Larson, Ph.D
2016 Nicole Folio
2017 Lotus Averil MacDowell
2018 Sandra Patterson
2019 Gretchen Palek
2022 Pamela Hotsinpiller
2023 Cheryl Romano

References

^ "West Virginia Italian Heritage Festival". Wvculture.org. 1979-09-02. Retrieved 2014-05-23.
^ "44th Annual West Virginia Italian Heritage Festival". www.wvihf.com. Retrieved 2023-12-15.

39°16′45″N 80°20′20″W / 39.27917°N 80.33889°W / 39.27917; -80.33889

[1] "West Virginia Italian Heritage Festival". Wvculture.org. 1979-09-02. Retrieved 2014-05-23.

[2] "44th Annual West Virginia Italian Heritage Festival". www.wvihf.com. Retrieved 2023-12-15.

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