West Virginia Italian Heritage Festival holds annual Spring Gala

CLARKSBURG, W.Va (WDTV) – The kick-off event for the West Virginia Italian Heritage Festival was held Saturday evening at Village Square in Clarksburg.

The festival’s annual spring gala to honor its new Regina Maria and her royal court, serves as a preview of what’s to come during the main festival on Labor Day weekend.

This year marks the 45th anniversary of the acclaimed festival, appropriately themed “Come Home to Calabria,” after the region in southwest Italy.

Chairman of the festival, Bill Boyles, detailed what’s at the heart of the beloved festival.

“The representation of our heritage, of what we had years ago when our forefathers came to this country. The food they had, the dance — the tarantella — everything is designed to make us feel like we’re back home in Italy, but we’re here in the great state of West Virginia celebrating with all these people that have come to this area because of their heritage.”

Antonia Nicole Folio, this year’s Regina Maria, will be crowned during the coronation ceremony, along with the other court members, on Friday, August 30, 2024.

WDTV is the official media sponsor for the 2024 West Virginia Italian Heritage Festival.

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