By Bert Gambini & Eileen Buckley
Buffalo, NY – A statue from a replica of Italy's Trevi Fountain was recovered Wednedsay night in time for the opening of the Italian Festival Thursday on Hertel Avenue in Buffalo.
Crews discovered the 150-pound Statue of the God Oceanus missing early Wednesday morning as they were setting up the installation. But by 9 o'clock Wednesday night, Buffalo Police had found the statue and those took it.
Event organizers are not expected to press charges. The two teens responsible, however, will be doing community service during the Festival.
And just like the actual Trevi Fountain in Rome, festival visitors, incidentally, are invited to toss coins into the replica fountain, with proceeds going to Re-Tree Western New York.
The Festival kicks off Thursday morning at 11 a.m. and will run through Sunday along Hertel Avenue from Colvin Avenue to Delaware Avenue in North Buffalo.
Buffalo's Italian Heritgage Festival is one of the largest in the nation.
"We have the second largest Italian street festival in the U.S.", said Festival director Peter LoJacono.
It features entertainment, a bocce tournament, an Italian idol contest and rides. This year's festival-goers can also research their roots and review a tribute to Italian developers of the area. You can even sit in an authentic Gondola and have your photo taken. But one of the biggests attractions is the food and a taste of Italy.