# 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.
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.

### Italian American Man of the Year

* 1980 Nicholas T. Camicia
* 1981 Dr. Jay Arena
* 1982 Leo Vecellio
* 1983 Capt. Tom Paul Scott, USN
* 1984 Dr. K. Alvin Merendino
* 1985 Robert DeProspero
* 1986 Lt. Gen. Leonard H. Perroots
* 1987 Michael C. Paterno
* 1988 Joseph Antonini
* 1989 Rear Admiral Thomas Lopez
* 1990 Larry Ciccarelli
* 1991 Brig. Gen. Tom Mancinelli
* 1992 Dr. Thomas Mazzocco
* 1993 Angelo S. Petitto
* 1994 Augustine A. Mazzei, Jr.
* 1995 Joseph L. Tropea
* 1996 Frank A. Oliverio
* 1997 Larry Argiro
* 1998 Joseph F. Fuscaldo
* 1999 Andrew J. Paterno
* 2000 Lucius Cavallero
* 2001 Victor Basile
* 2002 Father Hilarion Cann
* 2003 A. James Manchin
* 2004 Russell Bonasso & Samuel Bonasso
* 2005 Carmine J. Cann
* 2006 Joseph M. Minard
* 2007 Leonard J. Trupo & Louis J. Trupo
* 2008 Michael A. Oliverio
* 2009 Governor Joe Manchin III
* 2010 Donald J. Adams & Robert Adams
* 2011 Mike Ross
* 2012 Frank Gabor
* 2013 Joe Retton
* 2014 Anthony Bellotte
* 2015 Major General James A. Hoyer
* 2016 John Tiano
* 2017 Senator Roman W. Prezioso, Jr.
* 2018 Dr. Norman Ferrari, III
* 2019 Dr. Robert J. Beto, Jr.
* 2022 Dr. Michael Edmond
* 2023 Sheriff Robert Matheny

### 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

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