July 4th committee kicking off celebration with Red, White and Boom Cash Bash

Sep 22, 2023

Last year, 512 Coffee and Ice Cream's float celebrated Latrobe as the home of the banana split.

The Greater Latrobe 4th of July Committee will be kicking off its annual celebration on June 11, featuring a blend of both new and traditional events for 2023.

According to committee co-chairs Beth Straka and Beth Howell, the theme for this year's celebration is "Home Is Where The Heart Is: Westmoreland County Celebrating 250 Years."

The celebration will begin with the Red, White and Boom Cash Bash, to be held at 1 p.m. June 11 at Huber Hall. Tickets are $25 and include a lunch buffet, draft beer and pop. Four numbers are included on each ticket and drawings will be held every 15 minutes. A basket raffle, 50/50 and other games of chance will be available. Proceeds will benefit the Independence Day Parade Fund.

Only 250 tickets will be sold and they may be purchased in advance by calling Howell at 724-433-3272 or at the door on the day of the event.

On June 17, the downtown merchants will be sponsoring the the Neighborhood Flea in the Streets from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m along Ligonier Street.

Flea market enthusiasts can rent a 10-foot table space exclusively for their items at a nominal fee of $10. No vendors will be permitted. Registration forms may be obtained from The Paper Heart, located at 807 Ligonier St., or the Latrobe Art Center at 819 Ligonier St.

All table reservation and food and beverage fees will be donated to the Greater Latrobe 4th of July Celebration.

"This will hopefully become an annual event," said Straka. "We are hoping this catches on and turns into a total community event."

On the same evening, the annual Miss 4th of July pageant will take place at 6 p.m. at Robindale Energy (former Latrobe Elementary School), 1501 Ligonier St.

Nine participants will compete for the coveted title of Miss 4th of July. The winner of the pageant will receive a $1,000 scholarship, sponsored by the Latrobe Business and Professional Women.

The venue is air-conditioned and admission is free. The Seton Hill Dance Academy will provide entertainment and light refreshments will be available for purchase. Additionally, a 50/50 drawing will be held.

"The girls have been practicing every Monday at Huber Hall," Straka noted.

The checkered flag will be waving on June 20 for the Big Wheels and Scooter Race, sponsored by Lesco Federal Credit Union.

The Big Wheels race will be for children ages 6 and under while the scooter races will be for ages 7-10.

Event registration may be completed via the QR code on the fliers posted around town and on the Greater Latrobe 4th of July Committee Facebook page. The first 100 kids to register will receive a "goodie bag."

Check-in will begin at 6 p.m. and the race will start at 6:30 p.m. along Memorial Drive. First through third place ribbons in five age brackets for both boys and girls will be awarded.

Participants and spectators will be able to purchase Kona Ice, hot dogs, chips and drinks at the race.

The Patriotic Interfaith Service, under the direction of Dawna Bates, will take place at 3 p.m. June 25 at the Latrobe Presbyterian Church, 428 Main St. Pennsylvania State Police Tpr. Tristan Tappe of the Westmoreland County Camp Cadet Association will be the guest speaker.

Community choir practices will be held at 6 p.m. June 12 and 19 at the Bethany United Methodist Church, 2415 Laveen St. All are welcome to join.

Greater Latrobe Parks and Recreation's Firecracker 5-Mile Run/2-Mile Walk is slated for 8:30 a.m. July 1 at Memorial Stadium.

Walkers will begin at 8:32 a.m. and must walk the entire course.

Awards will be presented to the top three overall male and female runners and walkers and to the top three male and female runners and walkers in each age group.

Registration is $25 if completed by June 20 at runsignup.com/Race/PA/Latrobe/Latrobe4thofJuly or by picking up a form at the Greater Latrobe Parks and Recreation office, located in the Latrobe Municipal Building, 901 Jefferson St.

On the day of the race, participants can register by paying a $30 fee by cash or check. However, there is no guarantee of receiving a T-shirt for those who register on race day.

The post-race celebration will be held at Unity Brewing, located at 3862 State Route 30 in Unity Township.

The Western Pennsylvania Region of the Antique Automobile Club of America, along with the Greater Latrobe 4th of July Committee, will host a car cruise and Christmas in July event from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 2 in the Memorial Stadium parking lot.

There will be a $7 per entry fee at the gate and commemorative dash plaques, courtesy of Specialty Cars Limited, will be given to the first 100 participants.

All show cars and trucks, model years 2023 and older, are welcome. Trophies will be given to the best car and truck, along with a committee's choice award.

The event will feature entertainment by DJ BZ, as well as a variety of baked goods, food, drinks, and games of chance for attendees to enjoy. Additionally, Santa Claus will be making a special summertime appearance at 1 p.m.

"We will be collecting unwrapped toys for local children in need for the upcoming Christmas season at this event," noted Straka.

"In some emergency situations, children may be forced to leave their homes or experience the loss of a parent, a fire, or other traumatic events during the Christmas season. Our goal is to provide these children with gifts to help bring them joy during a difficult time," said Straka.

"We are a community-based committee and we want to be able to help all year," added Howell.

A brand new event will debut at 2 p.m on July 2 when rubber duckies invade Memorial Stadium.

The Quack Attack, sponsored in full by Latrobe Shop ‘n Save, will have participants hurling rubber ducks at a bullseye in the middle of the field. The owner of the duck closest to the bullseye will take home $500.

"We are very excited about this," said Straka. "We have been wanting to do something like this for years. We wanted to launch them in the [Loyalhanna] creek, but there are too many safety and weather-related concerns."

Ducks will be sold to the first 350 participants for a $10 donation. They may be purchased from 4-7 p.m June 7 at the Latrobe Shop Hop, from 5-6 p.m. June 17 at the Miss 4th of July Pageant and from 5:30-6:30 p.m. June 20 at the Big Wheels and Scooter Race.

If not sold out prior to the event, they will be available beginning at noon on the day of the Quack Attack at Memorial Stadium, when duck registration for pre-purchases begins. All ages may participate.

"Shop ‘n Save has been such a great partner," praised Straka. "This is going to be so much fun."

Kicking off a day full of celebration and excitement, the "Home is Where the Heart Is: Westmoreland County Celebrating 250 Years" parade will begin at 10:30 a.m. on July 4th. Floats will be sponsored in part by GO Laurel Highlands.

Longtime Latrobe pharmacist and resident Joe A. Mosso Sr., along with his wife, Anna, both 92, will serve as grand marshals of the parade, as will two of the Latrobe area's oldest residents, Mary Stahovic and Audrey Splanger.

For several decades, Mosso's Pharmacy was a beloved establishment on Ligonier Street under the ownership of Mosso Sr.

He acquired the store from Thomas G. Miller in 1959 and transformed Miller's Drug Store into a lasting legacy of his own. Mosso served the community until his retirement in 1996. He sold the pharmacy in 1998, but it maintained the Mosso name. It later closed its doors in 2009.

Throughout the years, Mosso has been an active member of St. John the Evangelist Church as well as numerous community events and organizations.

Stahovic, 101, and Splanger, 102, are both lifelong residents of Latrobe.

The parade will be followed by a one-hour-long Foam Frenzy Dance Party in the Memorial Stadium parking lot.

At 12:30 p.m., the party begins on Memorial Drive, featuring food, crafts, music, games and entertainment for all ages.

The Robindale Energy Kids Arena will open at 1 p.m inside of the stadium near the visiting team side. The arena will feature a bounce house, obstacle course, face painting (for a small fee), lawn games and more yet to be determined. A $5 fun pass will be available and will be valid for the entire day.

Bingo by the Fraternal Order of Eagles Tony Angelo Aerie 01188 will also begin at 1 p.m., as will D.J. Don Truxal, who will be spinning the tunes until 6 p.m. At 6:30 p.m., the ’80's cover band "I Want My MTV" will take the XCoal Stage until 9:30 p.m., courtesy of St. Joe's Club.

The 2023 celebration will close out with a fireworks display by Pyrotechnica of New Castle, sponsored by Westmoreland Mechanical Testing and Research.

Straka and Howell advised that due to rules and regulations set forth by insurance carriers and the fireworks company, no one will be permitted on the Legion-Keener ballfields. Spectators must sit in the area of the stadium.

While the community enjoys the end result of a year's worth of planning, the co-chairs discussed the extensive preparations that go on behind the scenes in order to organize the annual celebration.

"There are so many things people don't even realize," said Straka. "Everything costs money."

"We have to have insurance for every event, permits, licenses for small games and bingo, hold harmless agreements, Port-A-Johns, security, tents, housekeeping such as garbage cans and pickup. There is just a whole list of stuff.

"Everything comes from donations and our fundraising has not been very successful. It's not like it used to be," Straka lamented.

"We cannot do this without the sponsors and the community, if we don't have them, we don't have a celebration," she continued.

In addition to the aforementioned sponsors, the committee recognizes the following businesses and organizations that have supported Greater Latrobe 4th of July Committee this year: The City of Latrobe, Unity Township, First Ward Firemen's Club, United Paving LLC, Westcom Media, Mullen Refrigeration, T&K Childcare and UPMC.

Straka encourages individuals to reach out and lend a helping hand as they are always on the lookout for volunteers.

"We are constantly trying to keep afloat and keep moving forward," said Howell.

The duo acknowledged that the changes the new committee has brought about since taking over in 2020 have been subject to criticism over the years. They emphasized that the committee does not receive any monetary compensation for their efforts, nor do they receive any luxuries or perks in return. Their only motivation is the love they have for their community.

"We’ve lived and learned," said Straka, in regard to the celebration. "We’ve tried some things that didn't work and we’ve tried some that did. We changed some things up and listened to people's opinions."

"We can only grow from here," smiled Howell.

Mandi Moranelli can be reached at [email protected].

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