August 9, 2020 - 17th Annual - CANCELLED
See you in August 2021!
See you in August 2021!
As much as we want to gather with family and friends at the Festa this year, the Festa Committee has decided that it would be irresponsible of us to potentially expose everyone to the risk of COVID-19 infection. So unfortunately, we have decided to cancel this year’s Festa.
We did not come to this decision lightly, however:
• A large percentage of Festa attendees—and Festa Committee members for that matter—are older with underlying health conditions.
• There continues to be much uncertainty as to how the COVID-19 situation will play out over the next few months. Under the best-case scenario it appears that in August people will still be expected to wear face masks and practice social distancing—practically impossible at the Festa. Under more unfavorable scenarios, large gatherings would still be prohibited.
If a mass can be held safely on August 9, we do plan on having a Festa mass at St. Gertrude's officiated by Bishop Edward C. Malesic. More info on that as the date gets closer.
Please stay healthy, practice safe physical distancing, and continue connecting with family and friends.
We’ll see you in 2021.
We did not come to this decision lightly, however:
• A large percentage of Festa attendees—and Festa Committee members for that matter—are older with underlying health conditions.
• There continues to be much uncertainty as to how the COVID-19 situation will play out over the next few months. Under the best-case scenario it appears that in August people will still be expected to wear face masks and practice social distancing—practically impossible at the Festa. Under more unfavorable scenarios, large gatherings would still be prohibited.
If a mass can be held safely on August 9, we do plan on having a Festa mass at St. Gertrude's officiated by Bishop Edward C. Malesic. More info on that as the date gets closer.
Please stay healthy, practice safe physical distancing, and continue connecting with family and friends.
We’ll see you in 2021.
Can you help us spot some Vandergrift residents?
“Scampagnata fra ex-combattente in Vandergrift, PA U.S.A. presente Consolo Giurati Anno 9 Agusto 1931”
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“Outing among ex-servicemen in Vandergrift, PA U.S.A. featuring Consul Giurati 9 August 1931”
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This picture was donated to the Victorian Vandergrift Museum and Historical Society in April 2020 by Gaetano D’Andrea and Joseph D’Andrea (honorary consul for the Italian Consulate in Pittsburgh (1983-1999))
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This picture is of a picnic held at Knabb Field on the Serpentine Road in Vandergrift PA on August 9, 1931 to honor the Italian immigrants who fought for Italy in World War I. Dr. Giurati, Consul General of the Italian Consulate in Philadelphia, came to Vandergrift to honor these men. These veterans established an association (the Italian Legion); the men in the photo with armbands were officers of this Association.
The following men have been identified in the photo. If you can identify any of your relatives, please let us know so we can update the list.
1 Dottore Giurati, Consul General of Italy in Philadelphia
9 Luigi Casalotti (1897-19??) (President, Pittsburgh Post, Italian Legion)
18 Gaetano D’Andrea (1898-1982) (Secretary, Pittsburgh Post, Italian Legion)
The following men have been noted as being in the picture, but their exact location is unknown:
Domenico Russo (1894-1967) , Domenico Silvestri (1915-1981), Luigi Francesco (???-1986), Ermesto Cecchini, Carlo Isacco, Giuseppe Duzzitti, Nicola Silvestri (1876-1968), Giuseppe Penta, Giovanni Marchitelli (???-1969), Ralph Ludovici, Bruno Audo, Giuseppe Meridon, Francesco Silvestri (1919-??), Luigi Liguori (???-1991), Lorenzo Basile, ??? Capretto, Giuseppe Duzzitti, Sr.
Here are additional men who were Cavalieri di Vittorio Veneto, but may or may not be in the picture:
Cesario Clemente, Longfellow St.
Caravaggio Giuseppe, Beech St,
Fasano Letizio, R.D. 1
Iagnemma Eugenio, R.D. 3
Liquori Luigi, Longfellow St.
Magnante Ottorino, Holland St.
Mottola Mario, Walnut St.
Notarnicola Nicola, Franklin Ave.
Patitucci Giuseppe, Jackson Ave.
Sbraglia Arduino, Franklin Ave.
All of this information is courtesy of: Joseph D’Andrea (honorary consul for the Italian Consulate in Pittsburgh (1983-1999). The Festa Committee thanks him for this fabulous info and donation of the photo to the VVMHS ! ! !
Click on the picture to see a larger version of the picture.
“Scampagnata fra ex-combattente in Vandergrift, PA U.S.A. presente Consolo Giurati Anno 9 Agusto 1931”
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“Outing among ex-servicemen in Vandergrift, PA U.S.A. featuring Consul Giurati 9 August 1931”
------------------------------------------------------------------------
This picture was donated to the Victorian Vandergrift Museum and Historical Society in April 2020 by Gaetano D’Andrea and Joseph D’Andrea (honorary consul for the Italian Consulate in Pittsburgh (1983-1999))
------------------------------------------------------------------------
This picture is of a picnic held at Knabb Field on the Serpentine Road in Vandergrift PA on August 9, 1931 to honor the Italian immigrants who fought for Italy in World War I. Dr. Giurati, Consul General of the Italian Consulate in Philadelphia, came to Vandergrift to honor these men. These veterans established an association (the Italian Legion); the men in the photo with armbands were officers of this Association.
The following men have been identified in the photo. If you can identify any of your relatives, please let us know so we can update the list.
1 Dottore Giurati, Consul General of Italy in Philadelphia
9 Luigi Casalotti (1897-19??) (President, Pittsburgh Post, Italian Legion)
18 Gaetano D’Andrea (1898-1982) (Secretary, Pittsburgh Post, Italian Legion)
The following men have been noted as being in the picture, but their exact location is unknown:
Domenico Russo (1894-1967) , Domenico Silvestri (1915-1981), Luigi Francesco (???-1986), Ermesto Cecchini, Carlo Isacco, Giuseppe Duzzitti, Nicola Silvestri (1876-1968), Giuseppe Penta, Giovanni Marchitelli (???-1969), Ralph Ludovici, Bruno Audo, Giuseppe Meridon, Francesco Silvestri (1919-??), Luigi Liguori (???-1991), Lorenzo Basile, ??? Capretto, Giuseppe Duzzitti, Sr.
Here are additional men who were Cavalieri di Vittorio Veneto, but may or may not be in the picture:
Cesario Clemente, Longfellow St.
Caravaggio Giuseppe, Beech St,
Fasano Letizio, R.D. 1
Iagnemma Eugenio, R.D. 3
Liquori Luigi, Longfellow St.
Magnante Ottorino, Holland St.
Mottola Mario, Walnut St.
Notarnicola Nicola, Franklin Ave.
Patitucci Giuseppe, Jackson Ave.
Sbraglia Arduino, Franklin Ave.
All of this information is courtesy of: Joseph D’Andrea (honorary consul for the Italian Consulate in Pittsburgh (1983-1999). The Festa Committee thanks him for this fabulous info and donation of the photo to the VVMHS ! ! !
Click on the picture to see a larger version of the picture.
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Welcome to the website of Festa Italiana di Vandergrift. The intent of our Festa is to celebrate our Italian-American heritage and the ancestors who came from Italy yearning to make a better life for their families—us.
Our desire is to present an “Italian-only” Festa to the extent possible:
Our desire is to present an “Italian-only” Festa to the extent possible:
- Only Italian food is served at the Festa—including Bagna Calda, Trippa, Pasta Fagioli, and plenty of pasta, pizza, and sausage, of course—you won’t find hot dogs, hamburgers, bar-b-que, gyros or chinese food here.
- We search the country for the best Italian music available—not only traditional music from “the old country” but also music sung by great Italian-Americans like Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Al Martino and Julius La Rosa.
- Unlike other “Italian” festivals there are no vendors selling aluminum gutters, roofing, or bathing suits at our Festa—we only sell commemorative Festa t-shirts and Italian flags.
- And what’s more Italian than time spent with family and friends?—we have tables that can be reserved to serve as the meeting point for “mini family reunions.”
- A beautiful outdoor mass starts the day followed by a traditional Italian procession. This year we will be praying to the Patron Saints of the small Italian towns of our ancestors.
- Our Festa is held in beautiful Kennedy Park. Rent a table in the Reserved Family Tables tents and spend the day with your family and friends. The tables are under a tent (out of the sun and weather). Otherwise, bring a chair and umbrella if it’s a hot and sunny (or cool and rainy) day.
- Get to the Festa early and pace yourself throughout the day to enjoy all the fabulous food and beverages.
- Like most small Italian towns, parking is limited around the Festa grounds. Use the Free parking lots and board the Free shuttles to save yourself some grief.
- If you are an amateur winemaker or a bagna calda aficionado enter one of our competitions.
- Tickets are required to purchase all food and beverages. Purchase tickets (1 ticket=$1) at one of the ticket booths.
- Entry to the Festa is Free ! ! !
- Outside food and beverages are not allowed on Festa grounds. Please enjoy our fabulous Italian Food and Beverage vendors ! ! !
Why do we celebrate our Italian heritage?
Bishop Bosco may have summarized it best during his homily at the first Festa Mass (paraphrased):
"Ethnic heritage in America is like a good minestrone, so many different ingredients (e.g., Italian (pasta), Polish (carrots), Lithuanian (celery), German (broth)) brought together to make a wonderful dish—each uniquely different piece adding something to the meal. If those same ingredients were put into a blender and pulverized into a homogonous brown mush, the meal would not be nearly as enjoyable. We don't want to destroy the individual identity of the components of the minestrone, or of the ethnic components of our nation; each has something to contribute and to blender them is to destroy them."
Bishop Bosco may have summarized it best during his homily at the first Festa Mass (paraphrased):
"Ethnic heritage in America is like a good minestrone, so many different ingredients (e.g., Italian (pasta), Polish (carrots), Lithuanian (celery), German (broth)) brought together to make a wonderful dish—each uniquely different piece adding something to the meal. If those same ingredients were put into a blender and pulverized into a homogonous brown mush, the meal would not be nearly as enjoyable. We don't want to destroy the individual identity of the components of the minestrone, or of the ethnic components of our nation; each has something to contribute and to blender them is to destroy them."