This year, the Galbani Italian Heritage Festival is “going back to its roots.”

The annual festival is set to take place on July 20 and 21 this year, but at a different location.

This year, it will be held at Niagara Square along Delaware Ave, all the way to Huron St. in downtown Buffalo.

“We are very excited to announce that the 2019 Galbani Italian Heritage Festival is moving back to our roots in downtown Buffalo where it all began many years ago” Galbani Italian Heritage Festival President Carmen J. Palma said.

The first festival took place right behind City Hall.

Regarding the previous location, Palma said “We are so very appreciative for the support that we received over these past two years while we were at the Outer Harbor.”

To the owner of Belsito Restaurant on Hertel Avenue, having it downtown for free should work better than the Outer Harbor or Hertel.

“Everything we’re going to bring back – and I’ll be there this year – is going be Italian,” said Lou Fasolino, who owns the restaurant. “Going back, I grew up on Connecticut Street, and the way it was back then, it was all Italian.”

Those who grew up off Hertel know it wasn’t always the perfect location.

“Mostly like taking people’s streets up that lived on the streets that couldn’t park at their homes, sometimes there was violence there. Other than that, it was always a good time over here,” said North Buffalo Native Anthony Favata.

Others say they stopped going when the festival left Hertel. Buffalo Native Louie Martorana is one of those people, and he said he’ll return now that it’s back on the streets of Buffalo.

“I guess I’d like to check it out. I am a big proponent of seeing the growth of downtown,” said Martorana.