Ohio County, WV — The 42nd annual Undo’s Upper Ohio Valley Heritage Festival concluded on Sunday with a church mass followed by a traditional Italian family dinner. Originating in June 1983, the festival was founded by Italian-American leaders in Wheeling and moved to Heritage Port in 2001. It has since grown into one of the largest outdoor festivals, attracting around 150,000 attendees annually.
Beau Catalano, a partner of Undo’s Family Restaurant, expressed pride in the festival’s community impact. “We are super proud to be involved with the festival, you know, it brings everyone together. Even personally my family came from LA, Florida, we all came together and enjoyed the whole weekend. It was a fabulous weekend trying all the different kinds of foods, the entertainment and the board of directors did an unbelievable job and everybody that volunteered for the festival pulled off a beautiful three-day event,” said Catalano.
Sunday’s events highlighted the importance of family in Italian culture. A Catholic mass with rosary was held at 9:40 a.m. on the main stage, followed by a meal hosted by Undo’s at the Little Italy tent.
Nick Nestor, an attendee from Pittsburgh, shared his experience. “After the mass, it was great to be able to be with my family. I’m coming from Pittsburgh back home and it’s great having this festival and everybody getting together, especially with our Italian roots. It’s great to be able to sit down and have a classic spaghetti and meatballs just like we used to at home,” said Nestor.
The festival once again emphasized food, family, and fun, staying true to its mission of celebrating Italian-American heritage. Vendors can already sign up for next year’s festival, with more information available on WTOV9’s website.
Dining and Cooking