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Heat fails to curb residents’ appetite for Italian Fest
YOUNGSTOWN
Even though the mercury rose to about 93 degrees Friday, the heat didn’t stop people from enjoying the first day of the 2012 Greater Youngstown Italian Fest, which continues today and Sunday.
Wendy Walters of Liberty munched on a sausage sandwich as she enjoyed her lunch break from Home Savings and Loan with two of her co-workers.
“I’m fine with the heat. When snow flies, we’ll wish for this,” she said.
Some who came to the festival for lunch quickly returned to their air- conditioned offices with their meals, but those who stayed sought refuge from the sun in the shade of downtown buildings and tent-covered tables.
“This breeze feels so good,” said Dani Wix of Salem, who was with her mom, Melissa Wix, also of Salem.
Melissa works for Cohen & Co. downtown and said it’s tradition for her children, Dani and Nic, to meet her for lunch at the festival. This year, she had the day off but still went downtown with her family, including her fiance, Richard Curtis of Salem.
“We come for the food,” Melissa said, adding the hot weather didn’t bother them.
The family sampled cavatelli, pizza and gyros and topped it off with a funnel cake.
“Just go slow and split your food with someone so you can eat more,” Melissa said.
Temperatures aren’t expected to let up much; the high is predicted to be in the low 90s today and mid-80s Sunday.
The average temperature last month was 74.8 degrees, 4.3 degrees higher than the typical July average for the area, but falling short of cracking the top 10 list of hottest Julys, according to the National Weather Service.