For the last 60 years or so, the streets of Wilmington’s Little Italy have looked quite similar in the middle of each June. The Italian Festival brings food, music and carnival rides and games to thousands of visitors, but that was all missing in 2020 and 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

It all returned this year, and patrons and volunteers alike were happy that the sights, sounds and smells were back. To them, it was akin to seeing an old friend who had been out of the country for a few years.