43
Arrivederci till next year
Photo
Everleigh Thomas, 3, of Niles shares her Italian ice with her brother Anthony, 5, while their friend Dominic Bowser, 5, of Warren sits beside them in a golf cart at the Italian-American Heritage Festival in Warren on Sunday.
By Jordan Cohen
WARREN
Sporting a shiny navy and light-blue jersey emblazoned with “Italia,” Jimmy Metter of Warren said his late father would be proud of the community’s support of the 30th annual Warren Italian-American Heritage Festival.
“My father, Lou, was one of the founders,” Metter said. His father and several others had attended a festival in West Virginia in the early 1980s and decided Warren needed something similar.
“People have been coming here since 1984, [and] it just brings our community closer together,” Metter said.
The four-day event featuring music, international foods, cultural displays and rides concluded its run in Courthouse Square on Sunday night.
Committee members expect the turnout, aided by favorable weather all four days, to number about 25,000, but they add it takes more than attendance to make the festival a success. There are vendors and sponsors, and the festival needs all of them.
“People don’t realize how expensive it is to do something like this,” said Phil Sadoti, committee vice president and one of the founders. “It costs around $100,000 each year just to break even, but we do better than that and give back to the community.”
The committee, a nonprofit, annually donates some of its profits to various charities. Included in this year’s donations were nine $1,000 college scholarships.
“This showcases our city,” said Carol Ficeti, committee president. “It’s a place where people can see old friends, and some groups hold reunions here.”
It’s also a draw for a wide variety of people who are not Italian but appreciate the ambience.
One example is Jason Wilson, 40, of Warren. “My dad’s black and my mother is Czechoslovakian,” said Wilson, adding he comes for “the food and the camaraderie.”
Cecil Lucci, 85, of New Middletown attended the festival as a competitor — the oldest player in this weekend’s annual boccie tournament. Lucci, born to an American father and Italian mother in Italy, first came to the United States with his parents in 1934.
The Korean War veteran said he always has a special feeling about playing in Courthouse Square.
“I love this courthouse, and look at that flag at the top,” said Lucci as he stared at the classic building. “It’s just beautiful.”
Lucci’s team made it past several eliminations before being ousted. “There’s always somebody better,” he said with a sigh, “but I’m going to keep playing.”
The committee that put the Italian festival together will have little time to celebrate. Sadoti said planning for next year will begin in November.
That’s good news as far as Jimmy Metter is concerned.
“Our family appreciates keeping [my father’s] dream alive,” Metter said.