“Dean Martin is so important to Steubenville,” said JoJo Dialbert, owner of The Spot Bar. “We all know he was nationally known as a singer and entertainer. And numerous times, he mentioned Steubenville. And everybody knows that’s where he’s from.”
The celebration was an opportunity to learn more about Martin, but it also brought vendors of jewelry. food trucks and live music to downtown.
In addition. the cruise-in Saturday afternoon saw vintage cars gather so their drivers could see each other after a long year.”
This is one big family, these car people,” Kathy Waszkiewicz said. “We don’t get to see them often enough. It’s just nice to come out and support Steubenville and see our friends and have a good time with everybody.”
And the people living in Steubenville, as well as the people who come to visit, are the focus of the event’s organizers.”
That’s what we try to do with these festivals,” Barilla said. “Whether it’s the Fort Festival, the summer concert series, the Dean Martin Festival, the Nutcracker Festival, people coming together, families coming together, saying hello to one another, hugging one another, it’s a warm feeling. And it’s a rewarding feeling.””
You know it’s a lot of work and a lot of headaches, but when you look outside and see hundreds, sometimes a thousand, that are enjoying themselves, enjoying Dean Martin’s music, it makes you feel good,” Dialbert added. “You feel satisfied that you were able to pull it off and make a lot of people happy.”
The festival wrapped up Saturday night at The Spot Bar with a tribute to Dean Martin put on by Tom Stevens.
Source: Festival a celebration of Dean Martin’s life and devotion to Steubenville | WTOV
