GALA READY — Members of the Upper Ohio Valley Italian Heritage Festival board are making final preparations for this year’s Christmas Gala, scheduled for Sunday at Undo’s West in St. Clairsville. Board members include, from left, front, Angie Clutter, Alicia DeCeasare and President Michele Fabbro; and back, Treasurer John Balzano and Chairman Tony Filberto. -- Contributed

The festival’s fifth-annual Christmas Gala is scheduled to take place beginning at 4 p.m. Sunday at Undo’s West in St. Clairsville. Admission is $45 per person. Hors d’oeuvres will be served at the start of the evening, followed by a sit-down dinner at 5 p.m. Dancing will round out the event between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Festival President Michele Fabbro explained how the idea for a gala came to be.

“This was the idea of our festival’s board member, Janice Whipkey,” Fabbro began. “She wanted to make sure that the spirit of the Italian Heritage Festival, which is one of the Ohio Valley’s biggest summer events, can still be felt during the wintertime.”

“She wanted to do something special where we could have a good time and share Christmas and the holidays with our friends and family,” Fabbro continued. Fabbro stated when guests arrive, they will be greeted with an antipasto tray at each table and will then enjoy a sit-down Italian dinner provided by Undo’s — complete with table wine.

“For those who love a game of chance, guests will have the opportunity to bid on plenty of items in the gala’s Venetian auction, which will take place throughout the evening,” she added. Among the prizes available will be 14 themed baskets, a gift tree which is valued at more than $800 and a drawing for a chef’s table dinner from Pastaio Trattoria Italiana restaurant in Wintersville.

Baskets for the event’s auction were arranged by festival officials Monday, including, from left, Chairman Janice Whipkey, board member Eric Filberto and Michelle Fabbro. -- Contributed

The winner of the chef’s table dinner will include having up to three guests join in watching Pastaio’s chef as he prepares a five- to six-course meal for them inside a private room.

“The restaurant will be providing a delicious and delightful evening for the winner,” Fabbro said.

All of the gala’s proceeds will go toward operating the summer festival, and will provide funding toward the two scholarships the board awards to area students every year.

“We are proud to announce the board recently voted to increase the amount of the scholarships we award,” Fabbro stated, noting the amount has gone from $1,000 to $1,500. The two recipients are selected from the six counties that are part of the festival, including Belmont and Jefferson counties in Ohio, and Brooke, Hancock, Marshall and Ohio counties in West Virginia. The evening’s entertainment will be provided by Ray Massa’s EuroRhythms, a Columbus-based band which has performed in events ranging from Virginia to Nevada and beyond, according to officials.

Fabbro exclaimed it is “always wonderful to see the support which the community gives to the festival — both during the summer and for the gala.”

The Columbus-based band Ray Massa and the Eurorhythems will once again be the evening’s entertainment. -- Contributed

“It actually is overwhelming,” she concluded. “Everybody has a good time. We’d like to see even more people have a good time, so reservations are still open for anyone who would like to attend the gala. It’s a great evening that promises not to disappoint.”

The gala is open to any community resident interested in attending, officials commented. Reservations can be made by contacting Fabbro at (740) 317-7646, calling the Upper Ohio Valley Italian Heritage Festival office at (304) 233-1090 or by reaching out to any festival board member.