Galbani Maryland Italian Festival to celebrate Italian heritage this weekend

BALTIMORE -- Thousands will descend upon Harford County this weekend for the Galbani Maryland Italian Festival, a celebration of the generations of Italian Americans and their traditions through food, music and fun.

The celebration, which pays homage to Italian heritage, will be held at the Harford County Equestrian Center in Bel Air from Sept. 27 through Sept. 29. WJZ is a proud media sponsor.

"The Italian American community has really grown over the years, but there is always a challenge to keep our heritage alive," said Larry Noto, co-chair of the Galbani Maryland Italian Festival.

There will be plenty of food vendors, retail vendors, wine, carnival rides, live entertainment, cooking demonstrations, and more.

"It shows that there is a need and a hunger to celebrate our culture and our heritage, and whether it's the Little Italy Festival, the one that's in Towson, in Annapolis, it doesn't matter the size or scope, it's about keeping the heritage alive and in front of people," Noto said. 

For tickets and information, visit this website.

First-year success

Organizers created the Galbani Maryland Italian Festival in 2023, which had 25,000 visitors from 15 states while raising $200,000 for charity.

"The festival is such a great opportunity for everyone to come together to celebrate food, music, and traditions where you see people from all generations," Noto said. "I saw cousins I hadn't seen in months and years."

Elio Scaccio, co-chair of the Galbani Maryland Italian Festival, said the weekend festivities are about family, community and protecting Italian traditions.

"As Italian Americans, one of the things we dreamed about was that it could be a way to bring back the closeness of the Italian community and bring the community together again."

Italian heritage in Maryland

Italian immigrants flocked into the Port of Baltimore in the late 1800s and early 1900s in what was, at the time, the second biggest port of entry for immigrants from Europe, which created generations of contributions for Italian Americans in Maryland.

"Whether it be the stone workers or stone masons, the people that did the concrete and built the bridges and railroads," Scaccio said.